Move to empower peasant women farmers in Nabdam
A new project dubbed“Sustaining the Livelihoods of Women Producer Associations in Northern Ghana through Forest and Farm Business and Landscape Restoration” has been launched at Nangodi, in the Nabdam District of the Upper East Region.
The project is aimed at empowering peasant women farmers to expand their vegetable farms, building the capacity of farmers to be able to adapt to climate change.
It is being implemented by theMaaltaaba Peasant Women Farmers’ Cooperative with grant support from the Facility of Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations and its partners, theInternational Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), AgriCord, the International Institute for Environment and Development(IIED).
Speaking at a meeting on Friday, at Nangodi, a Consultant of the Forest and Farm Facility (FFF), MrVincent Subbey, said the women would receive training in entrepreneurship development and financial management and introduce them to Village Savings and Loans (VSL) schemes to promote internal financial mobilization.
The FFF seeks to strengthen and empower the Forest and Farm Producers Organisations (FFPOs), including women, youth and indigenous people as primary change agents for climate resilient landscape and improved livelihoods.
Mr Subbey said that the project would provide training for women on product aggregation techniques, quality production skills, packaging and preservation of basket products.
He indicated that it would support the establishment of multipurpose agro-ecology demonstration site as green community gardens for the promotion of integrated landscape, forest land reclamation and vegetable production.
Mr Subbeysaid the project would establish woodlot for energy, income generation, conversation of the environment and ensure the formation of wildfire management group for the protection of sites against bush fires.
The Executive Secretary ofMaaltaaba Peasant Women Farmers’ Cooperative, MsLydia M. Miyella,said the group seeks to address livelihood challenges confronting women, particularly widows and single mothers.
The District Chief Executive for the Nabdam District, MrsAgnes Anamoo, commended the funding and the implementing agencies for their initiatives to assist women.
The meeting attracted chief and elders, FFF partners, Maaltaaba Women officials and women board members, the District Coordinating Director, the Gender Officer, the Forest Services Department and officials of the Department of Agriculture and Department of Social Welfare.
FROM SAMUEL AKAPULE, NANGODI
