Project to strengthen farmer-based cooperatives launched

A project to strengthen farmer-based cooperatives/organizations (FBCs/FBOs) in the three Northern Regions – Upper East, Upper West and Northern, to help raise the quality of life of the rural population, has been launched at a ceremony in Tamale.

It is a partnership between the government and the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and involves training, financial support and networking.

The two-year project has been dubbed: “Capacity Development of FBCs/FBOs” and seeks to enhance the viability of the various cooperative schemes for sustainable development.

Mr. Ignatius Baffour Awuah, the Employment and Labour Relations, who was on hand to perform its official launch, said it tied in with the government’s effort at providing jobs for the people.

He added that the project held tremendous potential for transforming the socio-economic conditions in the rural communities.

He therefore called for all to work together to achieve the intended outcomes, to make things better for everybody.

The Minister gave the assurance that the Cooperative Bill would soon be passed for stronger and effective regulation of the cooperatives.

Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, in an address read for him, asked that the project was expanded to cover more districts.

That, he said, was necessary considering the important roles those FBCs and FBOs had been playing to bring development.

He reminded the cooperatives to take advantage of the project to develop their capacity for optimal performance to aid the growth of the agricultural sector.

Mr. Sungsoo Kim, Korea Ambassador to Ghana, said his country was eager to share its development experience in the cooperative system to assist improve the livelihoods of the people.

Mr. Salifu Saeed, Northern Regional Minister, said it was a right step and could not have come at a better time.

The leader of the FBOs in the Upper East Region, Mr. Anaane Dominic Atinga, pledged to do everything to make the project a huge success.