The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has urgently provided $3 million (over 48 million Ghanaian Cedis) to support farmers and residents affected by the recent prolonged dry spell and improve healthcare delivery in the north.
Mr Selorme Kofi Azumah, Chief of Party at Feed the Future Resilience in Northern Ghana Systems Strengthening Activity, indicated that the funds would be disbursed under the Feed the Future Resilience in Northern Ghana Systems Strengthening Activity for selected Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), to work in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, and the Ghana Health Service.
He indicated this during the launch of Grants on Agriculture and Resilience—Response to Dry Spell, Under Contract (GUC) post-award in Tamale.
He said the initiative’s main goal was to ensure that communities in the region have access to nutritious food and good health and social services.
Mr Azumah explained that from the substantial $3 million provided, a significant portion of $1.7 million would be used for smallholder farmers impacted by months of little to no rain in the north.
He noted that USAID and partners would train over 10,000 farmers in climate-smart agriculture, including dry-season farming, give them inputs to cultivate nutritious crops such as cowpea, yellow maize, soybean, sesame, and moringa, and introduce the rearing of guinea fowls, roosters, and rabbits as supplemental livelihood sources.
According to him, the funds would also facilitate the transport of surplus produce to areas facing food shortages.
“This will complement a recent donation by USAID of $1.7 million through the World Food Program to communities affected by the drought”.Mr Azumah
He noted that the remaining $1.3 million would be used to comprehensively improve nutrition, maternal and child health services, early childhood development, and social protection in the north.
He added, “This will be done by establishing and strengthening community-based health and social protection platforms and ”pregnancy schools where expectant parents are educated on maintaining healthy pregnancies and preventing malnutrition.”
Alhaji Abdul-Lateef Umar, Regional Manager for Feed the Future RING system Strengthening, said the USAID is the lead U.S. Government agency that works to end extreme global poverty and enable resilient, democratic societies to realize their potential; USAID’s work advances an integrated approach to promotes accountability, sustainable systems, and inclusive development in the country.
He mentioned that months of little to no rain has destroyed 291,000 hectares of crops, threatening household food security.
He closed that this month, the United States, through the USAID, provided $1.7 million (27 million Ghanaian Cedis) to
The World Food Program is currently disbursing drought-affected communities in northern Ghana, and this amount is distributed through cash transfers.
He indicated that these interventions would help diversify household incomes and enhance the resilience of farmers and their communities in the face of climate challenges and health care.
Dr Zohra Balsara, USAID/ Ghana Health Office Director, announced that grants for 23 civil society organizations, totalling
3 million dollars that would support smallholder farmers to recover from the devastating harvest losses and health interventions to improve nutrition, maternal and child health services, early childhood development, and social protection in the north is essential in ensuring that communities have access to nutritious food, good health, and social services.
He said, “These grants are provided under the USAID-supported Feed the Future Resilience in Northern Ghana Systems Strengthening Activity for selected civil society organizations to collaborate with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Ghana Health Service”.
He added that the intervention would also ensure vulnerable populations have access to the nutrition they need, the economic opportunities to thrive, and the means to withstand future challenges.
Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu, the Northern Regional Minister, recommended the U.S. Government and USAID in Ghana for this support and kind gesture. He also appealed to the awardees to use the funds strictly for the purposes for which they have been given to ensure that they achieve the fund’s aim.
He urged chiefs, Opinion Leaders and Community Members to cooperate and support the CSOs when implementing activities.
He also entreated all the value chain actors involved in this program to develop strategies and measures to ensure that gains made under this program would be sustained and benefit future generations.