Day: November 23, 2023

The European Union in Ghana (EU Ghana) has unveiled a manual to train and build the capacities of agriculture extension agents to support farmers in the wake of climate change.

The manual on Conservation Agriculture, aims at equipping more than 2,000 extension agents with standardised and effective climate-smart agriculture methods and practices for the Savannah regions of Ghana.

Conservation Agricultural is a set of soil management practices that minimize the disturbance of the soil’s structure, conserves soil water and enhances biodiversity.

The manual, a collaboration between the EU, GIZ and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), contains knowledge and best practices to guide farmers in the practice of sustainable agricultural farming.

Mr Jonas Claes, Deputy Head of Mission, EU Ghana, said the unveiling of the manual was a significant milestone in EU’s support for Ghana’s efforts towards promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

‘I am proud to say that the manual is practical and provides u
seful tips and guidelines to extension officers so they can, in turn, provide their knowledge to smallholder farmers,’ he added.

Mr Claes said the EU’s aim was to enhance cooperation and strengthen the local adaptation of farmers to climate change.

Mr Daniel Krull, German Ambassador to Ghana, said climate change was no longer a risk, but a reality the world had come to face.

He emphasized that the threat needed to be addressed immediately, particularly in Africa where more of its negative impacts were to occur.

Mr Kingsley Kwasi Agyeman, Climate Change and Management Specialist, MoFA, said Ghana’s agriculture was vulnerable to climate change due to the country’s dependence on rainfall farming.

He said climate change had affected crop yields, increased the likelihood of post-harvest losses, low farm income, migration, among others.

Mr Agyeman said the Ministry was addressing the challenge through a Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) programme.

‘We have through the CSA and Food Security policy ensure that t
he CSA is mainstreamed in the activities of the Ministry at farm level for farmers,’ he added.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Mr Abu Kansangbata, former Deputy Upper West Regional Minister has called on the National Democratic Congress to focus on key stakeholders and ground breaking policy proposals like John Mahama’s 24-hour economy policy to strengthen their gains.

‘The focus extends to National Executive Members, National and Regional Communications Directors, Media Monitors, and Members of Parliament’.

In a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday, he said Central to this initiative was the emphasis on former President John Dramani Mahama’s (JDM) 24-hour policy proposal as a visionary approach to revolutionize the country’s responsiveness to challenges by ensuring swift and effective decision-making.

‘Members of Parliament, recognizing the significance of this proposal, are urged to actively engage their constituents. One notable aspect of the NDC’s agenda is the commitment to reversing the ban on the importation of used cars’.

He said the move aligned with the party’s goal of providing affordable transportat
ion options for the people.

‘The NDC aims to empower individuals to own vehicles, contributing to enhanced mobility and economic opportunities by lifting restrictions on used car imports.

The 24-hour economy he said was not just about extending operational hours, but to establish a streamlined food distribution network, thereby reducing transportation costs and ultimately lowering food prices.

He said the policy was not merely a catchy slogan but a comprehensive strategy to transform and revitalize the Ghanaian economy.

‘Beyond the misconceptions, we see the potential for a more prosperous era for Ghana, driven by JDM’s vision for a dynamic and resilient economy.

He said the policy aimed to tackle the current inflation rate of 35.5% and decrease the Debt-to-GDP ratio from 71.9%, providing a conducive environment for monetary policy rates.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The United Kingdom has stated its readiness to support Ghana to hold free, fair, and peaceful elections in 2024.

Ghana will be electing a new President and Members of Parliament on December 7, 2024 – the ninth election since the commencement of the 4th Republic in 1992.

Delivering an address at a ceremony to mark the 75th birthday of His Royal Majesty King Charles III in Accra Wednesday night, Ms Harriet Thompson, the UK High Commissioner to Ghana, said Ghana and the UK shared core values in democracy and commended the country for strengthening its democracy.

She said the country’s democracy ‘needs constant nurturing’.

‘Election period can be turbulent, but Ghana is widely known for the strength of its democracy.

‘The UK is ready to support Ghana to deliver free, fair, and peaceful elections,’ Ms Thompson said.

King Charles III was born on 14 November 1948.

The monarch traditionally has two birthdays each year due to British weather.

King Charles III official’s birthday celebrations will occur in Nov
ember.

In the UK, his birthday is typically celebrated with outdoor events, therefore, celebrations are moved to the summer when there’s a greater chance of nice weather.

The King’s official birthday is celebrated by British High Commissions and Embassies across the world this month.

The ceremony in Ghana attracted dignitaries from across the country, comprising government officials, traditional rulers, Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Members of Parliament, the clergy, representative of civil society organisations, and the business community.

The speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin graced the occasion.

The ceremony was characterised by rich Ghanaian music, cocktail, as well as the display of innovative solutions by companies to address the climate sustainability gaps.

The celebration also highlighted His Majesty The King’s commitment and advocacy on biodiversity and the environment and UK-Ghana partnership and interventions made to tackle some of the pressing issues of climate chang
e.

Ms Thompson said the climate change emergency was urgent and assured that the UK would support Ghana to implement its Nationally Determined Contributions.

‘Young people, climate sustainability, biodiversity; these are some of the issues that King Charles has championed for decades,’ she said.

Speaking on behalf of the Government of Ghana, Mr Albert Kan-Dapaah, the Minister for National Security, said Ghana and the UK shared a relationship rooted in history, which had been underpinned by high-level exchange of visits.

He thanked the United Kingdom for continuously supporting Ghana through numerous projects and grants aimed at helping the country to address pressing challenges in diverse sectors.

‘It is my fervent hope that the reign of His Royal Majesty The King will be marked by enhanced cooperation between our two countries for the mutual benefit of our peoples in the years ahead,’ Mr Kan-Dapaah said.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Badu, a farming community in the Tain District of the Bono region was thrown into a state of grief and mourning when the mortal remains of the four young people who perished during a terrible rainstorm were laid in state.

The tragic incident happened on November 1, when an abandoned dilapidated school building collapsed and trapped the deceased, who and several others, had picked shelter during the rains to death.

Residents told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) the deceased were among the spectators who were watching football at the community park when the downpour, which accompanied incessant thundering and lightning set in around 1630hours.

The scores of mourners including school children, who had poured into the community center, could however not control their tears, when the bodies were laid in state at the community center for public view.

Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister led a government delegation to sympathize with the bereaved families.

She expressed the President Nana Addo
Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s condolences to the bereaved families and asked them to remain steadfast and pick comfort in God.

Dr Lucy Acheampong, the Tain District Chief Executive, described the incident as unfortunate, saying the District Assembly would set up a monument in the town to serve as a memorial to the departed souls.

She donated undisclosed sums of money to the bereaved families and presented five footballs and two sets of jersey to the youth to organised a commemorative football match.

The Regional Minister was accompanied by Mr John Ansu Kumi, the Sunyani Municipal Chief Executive and Mr Kusi Buadum, the Sunyani West Municipal Chief Executive, as well as other heads of departments and agencies.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Ms Alberta Nana Akyaa Akosa, The Executive Director of Agrihouse Foundation, is set to address a global audience at the International Cassava Fair in Brazil on Thursday, November 23rd, on the topic ‘Leveraging International Platforms to Commodify Cassava in Ghana.’

Her address will underscore the pivotal role of international collaboration in catalysing advancements within Ghana’s cassava industry with emphasis on the significance of commodifying cassava in Ghana.

A statement signed by Ms Akosa and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said: ‘This insightful discourse aims to position Ghana as a key player on the global agricultural stage.

‘This strategic initiative goes beyond showcasing the ingenuity within Ghana’s cassava sector; it also aims to foster invaluable connections and explore sustainable business opportunities within the dynamic global cassava value chain’, the statement added.

Ms Akosa would also shed light on the unique opportunities and challenges facing Ghana’s cassava industry, explori
ng avenues for collaboration with international partners, the adoption of best practices, value addition, mechanisation and the implementation of innovative strategies to position Ghana as a major player in the global cassava market.

The statement indicated that the focus on the potential of cassava as a cash crop aimed to contribute significantly to food security and economic growth in Ghana.

Ms Akosa would also delve into how Ghana could leverage the International Cassava Fair platform, to enhance value addition in processing, transportation and mechanization among others.

The statement said the address would also emphasise the collaborative potential of the International Cassava Fair in facilitating capacity building including bringing resource persons from Brazil to Ghana to impart valuable knowledge and skills to the value chain actors.

The address would also elaborate on the present and future of Ghana’s cassava industry and the crucial role that collaboration on the global stage could play in its s
uccess.

‘The event promises to be a milestone in the ongoing efforts to position Ghana as a key player in the international cassava market’, the statement said.

The International Cassava Fair (FIMAN), organised by Podium Alimentos in Brazil, which opened on Tuesday, November 21 and was expected to end on Thursday, November 23, 2023, represented a pivotal moment for knowledge exchange, networking, and collaborative exploration in the cassava sector.

Demonstrating a steadfast commitment to showcasing Ghana’s cassava industry on the global stage, Agrihouse Foundation, the official franchise holder for the International Cassava Fair in Ghana, led a delegation of 17 esteemed figures across diverse sectors of the Ghanaian agricultural landscape at the Fair in Paranavaí, Brazil.

This fair provided a unique platform for the Ghanaian delegation including farmers, processors, input dealers, Farmer-Based Organizations (FBOs), and aggregators among others to exhibit, engage in

illuminating Business Matchmaking sessi
ons, and pursue collaborative initiatives with international counterparts.

‘This multifaceted approach underscores the delegation’s dedication not to only showcase the present capabilities of Ghana’s cassava industry but also foster future growth through strategic partnerships.

The Ghanaian delegation boasts of an array of influential figures, each contributing a unique perspective to the global dialogue on cassava innovation’, the statement indicated.

It said the delegation not only served as an ambassadors for Ghana’s cassava industry but also positioned the nation as a key player in the global agricultural landscape.

‘As Agrihouse Foundation continues to lead the charge, the future of Ghana’s cassava sector looks promising, marked by innovation, collaboration, and sustainable growth’, the statement observed.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Madam Fairuza Safian, the National Director of CAMFED Ghana, has disclosed that CAMFED has developed a new strategic plan to improve girls’ education and empower women economically over the next six years.

She said for the period 2024-2029 CAMFED Ghana would implement a comprehensive support system targeted at the most marginalized girls, enable young women to transition to secure livelihoods and join a powerful peer network of leaders, as well as drive adoption of best practices in national education systems at scale.

Madam Safian disclosed this during a media engagement as part of efforts to forge mutually beneficial working relationships with the media.

She said the plan involved multiple educational opportunities for girls and young women to become leaders of change as part of CAMFED effective strategy to tackle poverty and inequality as part of the strategies plan.

Madam Safian indicated that a total of 663,455 girls have been supported with bursary since the beginning of CAMFED operations in Ghana.

She said that the number of girls receiving economic support (bursary) is 18,980, comprising 16,436 at secondary level and 2,544 at primary level and 35,894 of enterprises by mid-year stand at 445. In enterprises have been supported since the beginning of CAMFED operations in Ghana.

Ghana has also supported girls and young women to be equipped and capacitated to become economically independent to be able to achieve their fullest potentials.

Mr Christian Zico Agbebo, Programmes Manager of CAMFED Ghana, highlighted on CAMFED impact in girls’ education, said about 643,964 students have been directly supported to go to school, in addition of 153,649 students who also received bursary support from CAMFED.

According to him, 2,400 Teacher Mentors and Community Mentors have been trained to support girls in 1,189 CAMFED partner schools and 1,107 Learner Guides trained to support students in secondary and primary schools.

CAMFED works in five countries in Africa namely Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ghana, Tanzania and Malawi.

I
n Ghana, CAMFED operates in 38 districts across the Northern, North East, Savannah, Bono, Bono East, Western, Eastern, Greater Accra, Ashanti, Upper East, Upper West and Central regions.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Research institutes under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) say they will continue to provide cutting-edge technology and evidence-based research outcomes to address issues confronting the country and the West Africa sub-region.

Professor Paul Bosu, Director General of CSIR, who stated this said the research institutions would not relent on efforts to develop and promote cutting edge technology innovations especially in agriculture and other essential areas, to support Ghana and the sub-Region.

‘We are aiming to support the government policies to ensure that Ghana achieves the Sustainable Development Goal Two of zero hunger, and all others, but more importantly we aim to make sure food is available for all.

In this way, per the catalogue of the Varietal Release Committee, all the crop varieties that had been released in this country in the last eight years with over 120 to 150 agricultural technologies, about 90 percent have been released by CSIR with the Crops Research Institute (
CRI) being a leader in the release of crop varieties’, he stated.

Prof Bosu was speaking at the Regional Planning Meetings for Research Activities and Projects of the Centers of Excellence and Open Day of CORAF Technology Park at Fumesua in the Ashanti Region.

The three-day Regional Planning Meeting will be used to showcase ready-to-go technologies developed by the CSIR-CRI for farmers and stakeholders in the agri-business in root and tuber crops value chain.

Prof Bosu said the technologies developed over the years were being used by farmers which attested to the fact that, the investment Ghana and other donor partners were making into research and development had direct benefits to the people

The Director-General said the West and Central Africa Council for Agricultural Research (CORAF) of which CSIR was a member had launched the Food System Resilience Program (FSRP), a flagship regional investment programme aimed at building food system resilience in West Africa through a strategic regional approach.

T
he funded investments of the programme are – digital advisory services for the prevention and management of agricultural and food crises, sustainability and resilience of the productive base of the food system (sustainable land and watershed management, agro-ecological approaches) and market integration and trade (regional staple food value chain development).

He said Ghana’s version of the FSRP would be launched soon in Kumasi.

Prof. Moses Brandford Mochiah, Director of CSIR-CRI said technologies developed in root and tuber crops such as yam, cassava, sweet potato, cocoyam, taro and other commodities as well as best agronomic practices and post-harvest technologies would be showcased at the meeting.

It is expected that a common understanding of research advancement and challenges occurring in the root and tuber value chain actions would be highlighted for redress to improve the value chain of the crops.

Dr Nieyidouba Lamien, CORAF’s Head of Food Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Policy Intervention, said C
ORAF would continue to scale up proven technologies and innovations to serve as a one stop shop for farmers, processors, policy makers, and developing partners.

The goal is to increase the adoption of climate-smart, nutrition and gender-sensitive technology and innovation to strengthen the agricultural sector.

Source: Ghana News Agency

Stakeholders from Ghana, Burkina Faso and Togo have met to brainstorm on strategic measures to help fight against cattle rustling and insecurity along their borders.

The engagement held at Bolgatanga on the theme: ‘Challenges of Cross Border Transhuman’, was organised by the Ghana National Association of Cattle Farmers (GNACF) in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and sponsored by the European Union through Promeditators based in Burkina Faso.

It brought together stakeholders such as traditional leaders, security agencies, Ghana National Association of Cattle Farmers, Cattle Dealers Association, Farmer Groups, among others from the three neighbouring countries.

In the early part of 2023, some communities in Bongo-Soe, Sherigu, Naaga and Nabdam in the Upper East Region protested for expulsion of persons of the Fulbe extraction as a result of cattle rustling that took place in their communities.

The situation created tension among the factions and brought about some insecurity issues.

T
he participants attributed the recent upsurge of cattle rustling and insecurity among the border countries to violent extremism and alleged the perpetrators of violent extremism rustled cattle from farmers and cattle dealers to sell and fund their heinous crimes.

Mr Stephen Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Minister, in a speech read on his behalf, stated that if proactive measures were not taken to deal with the problem it would mar bilateral relationships among member states.

He mentioned lack of effective collaboration among the ECOWAS Member states to deal with the problem as one of the major issues and stated that plans were far advanced by the Upper East Regional Security Council to engage political heads of Burkina Faso and Togo to see how these three border countries could address these challenges.

The Regional Minister noted that cattle trade and other related trade among the ECOWAS countries have dropped as result of closing of borders of ECOWAS countries as part of measures to prevent violent extr
emism.

Imam Hanafi Sonde, the National Chairman of GNACF, observed that there were no effective mechanisms put in place to address the menace and called on need for Municipal and District Assemblies to constitute Committees composing of Security agencies, Cattle Farmers, Cattle Dealers, Farmer Groups to help deal with the problem.

He stressed that after the formation of the committees, modalities concerning their operations and the sanctions that come with the violation of the modalities of their operation

should be made known to the stakeholders and indicated that once that was done it would be easy to identify herdsmen who destroyed farm crops and rustle cattle.

Dr Kwame Oppong-Anane, Chairman of Ghana Cattle Ranching and Transhuman Committee of MOFA, reiterated that the issue of cattle rustling and insecurity across the cross-border countries was serious and called for multisectoral approach to help deal with the problem.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The European Union (EU) has handed over some key facilities and equipment to the Mole National Park to enable its rangers to effectively fight against poaching and preserve the wildlife.

They included a ranger camp site located at Grupe within the Park to accommodate rangers, a four-wheel vehicle, tents, bags, communication equipment, staff combat uniforms, raincoats, patrol headlamp, and commemorative plaque amongst others.

The EU’s gesture is in furtherance of the implementation of the Savanna Integrated Biodiversity Conservation Initiative (SIBCI), and the CITES Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants (MIKES) projects, which are funded by the EU.

The SIBCI project, initiated by the Ghana Wildlife Society and partners, seeks to support the implementation of sustainable management of the Mole National Park, while the CITES MIKES project monitors trends in levels of illegal killing of elephants and build capacity in protected areas spread across the range.

Mr Irchard Razaaly, EU Ambassador to Ghana,
who visited the Mole National Park, and the ranger camp site to hand over the equipment as well as inaugurate the camp site in the West Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region, said the gesture was to promote and improve the livelihoods of communities surrounding the Park.

He expressed delight that the SIBCI, and CITES MIKES projects were helping to preserve the Mole National Park for future generations, and the livelihoods of the people in the area.

The Mole National Park is the largest protected area in the country with a size of 4,577km2 and the most prestigious of all the National Parks in the country.

The Park, which is one of the prime sites for biodiversity conservation in the country, was established in the late 1950s as a wildlife reserve and gazetted as a National Park in 1971.

It is endowed with various species of animals such as the elephant, buffalo, roan antelope, leopard, kob and warthog, among others.

However, the Park is surrounded by over 33 communities, and the communities’ dependenc
e on the wildlife resource without replenishing to meet socio-economic needs, has gradually led to significant decline of the resources in the area hence the projects and the EU’s support to the Park to stem the tide.

Mr Iddrisu Musah, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Forestry Commission, said the support from the EU had been timely and helpful in stemming the precipitous decline in the protection of the natural resources and providing much needed respite for communities in terms of livelihood options.

Mr Musah said, ‘The EU’s support for the management of the Mole National Park and its neighbouring areas through innovative projects such as the MIKE project and the SIBCI project have ensured that protected areas like Mole National Park and the unique array of biodiversity that they contain can continue to thrive, now and in future.’

He called on all stakeholders to continue to support efforts at conserving the Park, and urged the Park Authority to continue to work with partners to scale up the development o
f the Park and ensure it became a beacon that could catalyse great socio-economic development for the neighbouring communities, districts and the nation as a whole.

Mr Richard Appoh, Director of Conservation Programmes, Ghana Wildlife Society, said to further integrate conservation into farming practices, the SIBCI project distributed 4,200 improved mango seedlings to farmers, thus encouraging the incorporation of sustainable agricultural practices into their farming systems.

He said the project had also trained 30 law enforcement officers to combat the threats of poaching and illegal activities within the Park.

Mr Karim Musah Kusubari, West Gonja Municipal Chief Executive, expressed gratitude to the EU for supporting the projects in the area, and said they meant a lot for the people and communities in the area.

A representative of the Overlord of the Gonja Traditional Area thanked the partners for the projects and assured them of the traditional authority’s commitment for the success of the projects.

Mr
Razaaly later inspected a viewing tower constructed under the SIBCI project to help in both ecotourism and Park surveillance.

He again visited the Murugu community in the area to interact with the 300 women trained in sustainable shea picking and processing as part of the project, as well as inspected their shea processing facility.

Source: Ghana News Agency

The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has ranked the Nabdam district of the Upper East Region as the area with the highest multidimensional poverty in the country

Latest scorecards on multidimensional poverty for all 261 districts in Ghana released by the Ghana Statistical Service as part of activities to mark the 2023 African Statistics Day showed that the district had a score of 68 per cent, which is 11 times higher than the lowest score of 6.3 per cent recorded in Asokwa Municipality of the Ashanti Region.

The multidimensional poverty indicator is a non-monetary deprivation measure that comprises 13 indicators in four dimensions.

It includes living conditions, thus, electricity, housing, assets, overcrowding, cooking fuel, water, and toilet facility); education (attendance, attainment, and school lag), health (insurance coverage and mortality), and employment (work for wage or profit).

In a statement, GSS noted that the incidence of multidimensional poverty in 23 districts was higher than 50 per cent, w
hich was more than twice the national rate of 24.3 percent.

It also indicated that in 55 of the districts with both rural and urban residential settlements, there was at least a 20.0 percentage point difference in the incidence of multidimensional poverty, with the highest disparity of 38 percentage points in Kwahu, Afram Plains North.

Moreover, in nine out of every 10 districts, multidimensional poverty is higher for female headed households compared to male-headed households.

‘The principal contributor to multidimensional poverty across districts is employment (206 districts) and insurance coverage (55 districts). Employment contributes between 22.9 percent and 56.7 percent across the 206 districts, while insurance coverage contributes between 23.5 percent and 29.7 percent across the 55 districts,’ the statement said.

The district scorecards relied on the 2021 Population and Housing Census as a data source, it provides statistics on the proportion of the population within the district that lives in mult
idimensionally poor households, experiencing multidimensional poverty, and the ranking of the district relative to other districts in the region and to all districts in the country.

It also presents information on the areas in which poor people in the district are most deprived.

Source: Ghana News Agency