1.3M EUROS FOR AGRIC DEVELOPMENT IN 7 DISTRICTS (MIRROR, PAGE 35, JUNE 26, 2010)

 From Nurudeen Salifu, Lito.

THE European Commission (EC) has provided 1.3 million Euros to support the implementation of the Northern Ghana Food Security Resilience Project in seven districts in the Upper West and Northern regions.
Under the project, about 10,000 small-scale farmers would be provided with improved seeds, tractor services, chemicals, planting materials and agriculture extension services to enable them plough several acres of rice, maize and other staple crops.
The 20-month project, which was launched at the weekend at Lito in the Central Gonja district of the Northern Region, is being implemented by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA).
While the EC is funding 90 per cent of the project, ADRA-United Kingdom will bear the remaining 10 per cent.
The beneficiary districts are the Bole, Sawla/Tuna/Kalba, West Gonja and Central Gonja in the Northern Region and the Nadowli, Wa East and Wa Municipality in the Upper West Region.
Launching the project, the Head of Corporation of the EC’s delegation to Ghana, Mr Kurt Cornelis, said the EC was willing to provide more funds for the development of agriculture in Ghana so as to boost food supply and improve food security.
He said even though agriculture was the main stay of the country’s economy, yields were very low because farmers lacked the capacity to produce on a large-scale and in accordance with market demands in terms of quality.
Mr Cornelis said the EC and ADRA would therefore, work towards addressing these setbacks so as to enable the country boost its production and realise its full agricultural potential.
The support, he noted, was part of a global effort by the EC to combat hunger by supporting farmers in developing countries to up their production.
Explaining further, the Country Director of ADRA, Dr William Yaw Brown, noted that the project would also facilitate the sale of the expected farm produce by fostering the linkage between the farmers and prospective buyers.
He said one of the banes of agriculture in Ghana was the lack of available and reliable markets for the produce of farmers in most rural parts and this was why there was the need to create this linkage.
Dr Brown again mentioned that the project would introduce the farmers to improved agricultural technologies for better yields, adding that 14 agricultural extension agents had been recruited to assist those working with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA).
He also noted that the cost of inputs would be recovered in kind from the beneficiary farmers after this year’s farming season and used to provide inputs support for them during next year’s season.
“When the project exits in August 2011, the funds will be left with the farmer groups to be managed as a revolving fund, which will be monitored by the MOFA, ADRA and other collaborating local NGOs,” Dr Brown added.
Speaking on behalf of the Northern Regional Minister, the District Chief Executive for Central Gonja, Mr Issifu Sualisu Be-Awuribe, commended the EC and ADRA for their intervention, noting that it would complement the government’s efforts in increasing local food production.
He said the project would also increase the incomes of farmers and enable them educate their children and alleviate their suffering.
The DCE pledged the government’s support towards the success of the project and called on the beneficiaries to accept the project as their own so as to rip maximum benefits from it.