The West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP) which aims at increasing preparedness against food insecurity and build resilience of food systems in the sub-region was launched yesterday in Kumasi.
The five-year project, starting this year, would see Ghana offered $150million by the World Bank Group towards her activities to ensure food security in the country. Other participating countries are Togo, Mali, Sierra Leone, Burkina Faso, Niger and Chad.
In Ghana, FSRP, being driven by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, is expected to roll out innovative and sustainable interventions to vulnerable households, farmers, families and communities to withstand uncertainty and shocks in food production and supply in the sub-region.
On the theme, ‘Joining Forces for Food System Risk in West Africa,’ the programme brought together experts/scientists and farmer groups from various districts in Ashanti and beyond.
According to the Project Coordinator, Osei Owusu Agyemang, Ghana, under the project would set up rice mills, rehabilitate the nation’s veterinary laboratories in Accra and Dorma Ahenkro to first class laboratories.
He mentioned the upgrading of existing warehouses into model multipurpose facilities, ensure all year-round tomatoes production in the Savanna, middle and coastal belts.
Mr Agyemang said the Tanoso Irrigation Scheme in Bono East, Via Irrigation Scheme in Bongo in the Upper East, research station in Tamale, second phase of irrigation scheme in Kpong as well as Plant Genetic Research Institute, both in the Eastern Region, would all be rehabilitated under the project.
The Minister of Food and Agriculture, (MoFA), Dr Bryan Acheampong, noted in a speech read on his behalf, that FSRP had come at a critical juncture, especially considering the uncertainties posed by climate change, the effects of the Russia-Ukraine war and the impact of COVID-19 across the agricultural value chain.
He emphasised the pivotal role communities would play in ensuring the success of the FSRP.
“Community engagement, empowerment, and active participation are not only encouraged but are essential for the realisation of our shared vision. Together, we can build a resilient and sustainable future for our food systems, ensuring food security for current and future generation”, he underlined.
Mr Pierre Frank Laporte, Country Director, World Bank, in a speech read on his behalf, noted that the global food and nutrition crisis—triggered by high prices—was driving millions into extreme poverty, magnifying hunger and malnutrition, and threatening to erase hard-won gains in development.
He said “For Ghana, the opportunity is here to transform its agriculture and food system to serve the needs of its own people, and as a breadbasket for the region, and also to create globally competitive revenue generating export commodities.
“This is the time to take urgent action to ease the impact of higher food prices and ensure the most vulnerable have access to food, while at the same time building resilience. There can be no food security until we transform the Ghana’s food system,” he added.
He added that the World Bank in collaboration with the Government of Ghana had significantly invested in agriculture by increasing access to reliable water (irrigation), land, access to finance, agricultural input and output markets, Public- Private-Partnerships, inter and intra-regional trade.
FROM KINGSLEY E. HOPE, KUMASI