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World Bank Pledges US$30 Million to Complete Food Systems Resilience Programme in Ghana

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The World Bank has committed to funding the remaining $30 million gap in Ghana’s Food Systems Resilience Programme (FSRP), a vital initiative aimed at boosting irrigation farming and agricultural productivity.

Ousmane Diagana, the Regional Vice President for Western and Central Africa at the World Bank, made this announcement during his visit to the Kpong Irrigation Scheme and the Kpong Left Bank Irrigation System sites.

Diagana emphasized the significance of the project, stating, “We’re a long-standing partner for Ghana in every area… and we will be happy of course to consider adding financing if necessary.” The funding gap is crucial for the full implementation of the programme, which aims to enhance the country’s food security and resilience to climate change by improving irrigation systems.

Despite Ghana’s irrigable land being estimated at 1.9 million hectares, only about 1.6% of it is currently equipped with irrigation, significantly lower than the West and Central Africa average of 13.9%. This disparity has hindered the country’s agricultural productivity, affecting its food resilience.

Diagana stressed the importance of agriculture in economic development, particularly for job creation and income generation. He urged the government to make sustainable investments in smart agriculture to improve productivity and reduce reliance on imported rice, maize, and vegetables. “No country can develop without investing in its agriculture,” Diagana remarked.

He also commended the ongoing irrigation projects in Asutuare and Kpong, noting that achieving a productivity rate of six tonnes per hectare was a positive outcome. He further explained that reaching seven tonnes per hectare would significantly increase the likelihood of the projects achieving their intended impact.

The World Bank has been actively supporting the modernization of Ghana’s irrigation systems, with the FSRP receiving $22.5 million in funding from the World Bank to improve key irrigation schemes in the country. Diagana reiterated the World Bank’s commitment to scaling up these efforts, particularly given Ghana’s strategic location as a gateway to other countries in the region, which enhances its potential to be a regional hub for agricultural production.

Osei Owusu Agyeman, the Project Coordinator for FSRP, highlighted that the programme was designed to help vulnerable households, farmers, and communities better withstand uncertainties and shocks in food production and distribution. He emphasized that investing in agriculture directly contributes to food security and job creation.

Priscilla Adom Tawiah, the Secretary of the Investors Cooperative at the Kpong Left Bank Irrigation System, expressed the benefits the project has brought, especially for youth and women in agriculture. She called for increased access to affordable funding for agricultural value chain players, stating, “We believe that if there’s a dedicated matching grant, we’ll be able to develop our businesses faster and transform the whole of the left bank into an agribusiness tourist site for the country and beyond.”

This partnership between the World Bank and Ghana underscores the importance of agricultural development in building resilient food systems and securing sustainable economic growth for the country.

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