A climate change intervention project dubbed”, the Forest and Farmer Facility Phase II Climate Resilience Landscapes and Improved Livelihoods”, has been launched in the Upper East Region to help tackle upon climate change and ensure sustainable agriculture.
Maaltaaba Peasant Women Farmers’ Cooperative (MAPEWFAC), a Non-Governmental Organization is implementing the project with grant support from the Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and its partners International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), AgriCord, the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED).
The intervention which is a scale up will be implemented in the Talensi and Nabdam districts in the Region, targeting women groups in particularly who are vulnerable such widows, single mothers and Persons with Disabilities.
The Board Chairperson of MAPEWFAC, Ms. Mollydeam Zong Buntuya, explained that among the goals of the project is to ensure sustainable agribusiness along the Shea, soya, pig, goat, vegetables, and fish value chain for the women groups to build sustainable businesses for improved livelihoods and ultimately bringing about climate resilient landscapes.
She added that the activities of the intervention will also be linked to the Ghana Federation of Forest and Farm Producers (GhaFFaP) Green Market strategy and advocacy as well as promote access to finance and benefits from social protection opportunities available
The Executive Director of MAPEWFAC, Ms Lydia Miyella, on her part explained that as part of the project implementation , the project will provide water accessibility for all- year-round production for women farmers to cultivate multiple integrated value chains and with added business incubation capacity, access to finance and markets
“It will also ensure 100% women inclusive business services to forest and farm producers for livelihoods improvement and climate resilient landscapes, promote green year-round production for multiple value chains in the shea, soya, vegetable, piggery, goats and fish industries, aggregation of products, market linkages for profitable high market share for women”, she stressed.
Recounting some of the success chalked under the Forest and Farmer Facility Phase I, which begun in Feb. 2022 – Sep. 2022, the Executive Director, mentioned the drilling of one high-yielding mechanized borehole , the training of 100 members on compost preparation to ensure organic vegetable production and environmental sustainability, 5,000 assorted seedlings planted on ½ acre land as woodlot and also, distributed to 125 members for planting on individual lands among others.
A Development Consultant, Mr. Vincent Subbey , who facilitated the inception meeting, indicated that unlike the southern parts of the country which is noted for its two rainy season in a year , the Upper East Region including other northern zones are characterised by only one raining season , leading to seasonal hunger cycles, food insecurity and poor diet.
He expressed the optimism that the implementation of the project would help address the spate of climate change in the Region, and urged the beneficiary communities to embrace the intervention.
The occasion attracted stakeholders including traditional leaders, Department of Food and Agriculture, Department of Community Development and Social Welfare, Assembly members, the beneficiaries of the project among others.
