Ghana is to collaborate with Egypt in the fields of research, private sector investment, seed and textile production, marketing, and transfer of knowledge and skills towards the revival of the cotton industry in Ghana.
This agreement was reached when the Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Mr. Mahama Ayariga, held bilateral talks with the Egyptian Ambassador to Ghana, Mr. Omar Selim, on the development of the cotton industry in the three Northern regions of Ghana.
A statement issued by Nana Akrasi Sarpong, Acting Director, Communications and Public Relations, Ministry of Trade and Industry, said Mr. Ayariga disclosed that all available options that would facilitate the development of a vibrant cotton industry would be exploited.
He said experiences and best practices of countries that had been in cotton production would be taped to ensure that "the cotton industry survives the test of time".
When this is done, Mahama Ayariga said, Ghana would benefit immensely from the production of cotton by providing a lot of economic activities in the three Northern regions and this would go a long way to facilitate poverty alleviation.
"Egypt has been producing long yarn cotton for the past 200 years and therefore something must be learnt from them. As part of this collaboration, experts from the two countries would establish about 1000 acres of farm on pilot basis", the statement said.