Promoting Rural Opportunities, Sustainable Profits and Environmental Resilience (PROSPER), an agricultural initiative aimed at promoting the livelihoods of people at the local level as well as boosting their financial capacities, has been launched here.
The project, being implemented by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, is being funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and Government of Ghana (GOG).
PROSPER is a government of Ghana agricultural modernisation initiative aimed to benefit 100,000 direct individuals, including 50 per cent women, 30 per cent youth and five per cent persons with disabilities by 2032.
The project target regions include Eastern, Bono East, Oti, Bono, Northern, Savannah, North East, Upper East and Upper West Regions in the country.
Seven districts from each region would be carefully selected to benefit from the initiative because of their agricultural potential and high exposure to climate change.
Mr Eric Opoku, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, launching the PROSPER Project here in Damongo on Thursday, said the estimated funding for the project was $143.7 million and the Government of Ghana was providing $22.5 million.
He said the remaining 124.8 million dollars was being provided by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
The Minister stated that the project targeted 420,000 beneficiaries, direct beneficiaries constitute 100,000 whilst 320,000 were indirect beneficiaries.
He said the project would catalyse transformation across their rural communities by promoting improved technologies, enhanced extension support, strengthening producer groups and expanding opportunities for agribusiness development.
Mr Opoku added that agriculture was not only about producing food but it was also about improving the health and well-being of the people.
He said the PROSPER project would go a long way to prompt nutrition-sensitive agriculture by supporting nutrition food demonstration, promoting bio-fortified crops, encouraging households and school gardens and integrating nutrition into farmer field school.
He stated that through backyard garden cultivation of vegetables, distribution of nutrient-rich seeds, the project would help households diversify their diets and significantly reduce malnutrition especially among women and children.
This, according to him, aligns perfectly with the national agenda for a healthier and more food secure population.
The Minister, therefore, emphasised on a strong strengthening rural institutions and agribusiness enterprise in the country.
The Savannah Regional Minister, Mr Salisu Be-Awuribe, applauded the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and other donor partners for bringing the launch of the project into the region.
He said the PROSPER Project would go a long way to ameliorate the situation of many vulnerable farmers in the region.
Mr Be-Awuribe, however, appealed to the sector minister to consider including all the seven districts in the region into the project.
FROM YAHAYA NUHU NADAA, DAMONGO
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