Ministry of Local Govt and four organisations sign agreement

Accra, May 11, GNA – Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, on Wednesday said the promotion of food security in the country must be a shared responsibility of all stakeholders, expected to play active roles.

He said the issue of food security, especially in the Upper West, Upper East and Northern Regions; the three Northern Regions, needed to be urgently tackled.

Mr Ofosu Ampofo said this at the signing of an agreement on Food Security and Environmental Facility Project, between the Ministry and the Presbyterian Agricultural Services, the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Diocesan Development Office, Northfin Foundation and Zoomlion Ghana Limited, in Accra.

He said the eight-year project, which was being supported by the Canadian International Development Agency, would assist the country’s efforts to achieve food security through environmentally sound agricultural development initiatives.

The project also aims to deliver and disseminate innovative food security and sustainable agricultural programming in the three northern regions with focus on environmental considerations.

In all about 30 innovative sub-projects in the Food Security, Agricultural and Income Generation and the Agricultural Sustainability and Natural Resource Management would be supported.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofu mentioned sustainable farming techniques in Builsa, Garu Tempane, East Gonja and East Mamprusi Districts, the Agricultural Sustainability and Natural Resources Management in the Bongo District, the Food Security, Agricultural Productivity in the Kassena–Nankana District, the Onion Farmers Livelihood and Value Chain Improvement in the Bawku West District and the Community-Based Cage Fish Culture in Wa Municipality as the approved sub–projects and beneficiary districts.

He said by the end of the project, there would be an increased use of innovative environmentally sound technologies and approaches in food security and sustainable agriculture within the target communities.

“It is also expected that the capacity of Ghanaian organisations to promote and deliver innovate food security and sustainable agricultural programming in the three northern regions would be enhanced and mainstream gender approaches across the programme areas would also improved,” the Minister said.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo congratulated the four organisations for their performance during the competitive bidding process and said that it was the beginning of long and sustained public private partnership.

Ms Laureen Semelule, Second Secretary, Canadian High Commission, thanked the Government of Ghana and the four organisations for the partnership, saying it was part of their development support projects for the country.

She said the project would not only promote a wide range of agricultural practices but also create a knowledge network for the organisations involved to advance an environmentally friendly agricultural practice.

Mr Joseph Ayembilla of Government Coordinator Catholic Diocesan Development Office, expressed appreciation to the Government for the opportunity, and gave the assurance that the Office would work hard to sustain the project.