By Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo
The Department of Agriculture has indicated its readiness to collaborate effectively with Market Oriented Agriculture Programme in North West Ghana( MOAP-NW) in building the capacities of women in good agronomic practices to increase their productivity in vegetable farming.
The Savannah Regional Director of Agriculture, Alhaji Seidu Sulemana made the pledge at the commissioning of a solar-powered micro-irrigation facility for a group of women who are into vegetable cultivation at Dissah in the North Gonja District.
GBC’s Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo reports that one acre of land has been fenced for the 40 beneficiaries to do all-year-round farming whilst keeping animals at bay.
MOAP-NW is a key component of the European Union Ghana Agriculture Programme (EU-GAP) which operates with funding from EU and co-funding from the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). The Chief of Dissah, Kankora Bahian Awusi who was really excited joined other dignitaries to inaugurate the facility.
Alhaji Seidu Sulemana stated that Women in Agriculture Development (WIAD) will undertake sensitization of households in Dissah and its surrounding communities and added that the micro-irrigation project is in tandem with government’s objective of modernizing Agriculture and One-Village-One-Dam policy.
Alhaji Sulemana observed that in line with government’s objective of Modernizing Agriculture and the One-Village-One-Dam policy, the Dissah project is a timely and important infrastructure facility to satisfy what he termed “an important shortfall in the community [Dissah]”.
He added said the overall objective of the irrigation facility is to enhance climate-sensitive quality production in agriculture as well as support investment in agricultural infrastructure which MOAP-NW is doing gracefully well.
Alhaji Sulemana continued that “the facility is very crucial because it will provide ample water for vegetable gardening, a livelihood venture for our dear women farmers and also serve as as a source of income and nutritious vegetables for personal use”.
The Agriculture and Finance Consultants (AFC) Team Leader of MOAP-North West, Dr Andrew Harberd observed that rural women in agriculture have to contend with a number of challenges ranging from access to and ownership of fertile lands to help them in their agricultural enterprises.
Dr. Harberd, therefore, stressed the necessity for women to be given the required support to improve their lot in the agriculture sector.
He said: “There is a need to channel required resources and infrastructure to women engaged in the sector to facilitate improvements in agricultural production and productivity – and an important feature of the MOAP-NW programmme in NW Ghana is its focus on women farmers”.
Dr. Harberd stated that the EU/BMZ co-financed Market-Oriented Agriculture Programme in North West Ghana is designed to support the improvement of agricultural infrastructure and promote productive investments in NW Ghana, through strong community involvement, capacity building of stakeholders along selected value chains, extension training of service delivery systems for farmers, and support to employment through agribusiness creation, based on the sustainable utilization of renewable natural resources.
He pointed out that MOAP has equally supported the commercialization of natural pesticides (the “Neem Crop Protector oil and cake products) derived from neem seed which is manufactured in Wa by Tibouritaa Women’s group.
The Community Mobilization and Vegetable Expert at MOAP-North West, Abdul-Salaam Alhassan told the GBC that in the meantime, the women are cultivating “local vegetables” but in due course, they will be trained to produce “high-value vegetables” to serve the bigger markets. He added that the site will also serve as a technology hub to transfer knowledge to women farmers.
A beneficiary, Madam Mary Manga expressed appreciation to MOAP-North West and the Department of Agriculture for the initiative at Dissah which she described as very helpful.
Gingang Cultural Troupe from Lingbinsi spiced up the occasion with exciting cultural performances.
