Farmers to benefit from US$1.5 million World Food Programme relief fund

Farmers in Ghana can heave a sigh of relief as the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) with support from the World Food Programme (WFP) is set to disburse $1.5 million to vulnerable farmers and households in selected regions.

This facility is expected to cushion them against the devastation caused by the coronavirus disease.

Beneficiaries from the North East, Northern, Savannah, Upper East and Upper West regions have been identified and profiled to receive cash transfer support.

The farmers will receive GH¢1,641.60, which is equivalent to $288.

The Ghana National Household Registry (GNHR) under the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection is the implementing agency while the funding is provided by the World Food Programme.

Addressing the launch of the programme at the MoFA Resource Centre in Accra yesterday, the National Coordinator of the GNHR, Dr Prosper Laari, said 5,000 individuals would benefit from the relief fund.

According to him, nine districts in the selected regions with high levels of poverty, malnutrition, and food insecurity had been targeted, with the Binduri and Gushegu districts being the smallest and highest beneficiary districts.

Some 235 persons, representing five per cent, and 1,171 persons, representing 23 per cent of the total number are from the Binduri and Gushegu districts respectively.

The rest are Yunyoo-Nasuan, North East Gonja, Bawku-West, Garu-Tempane, Lambussie-Karni, Wa East and Wa West districts, with 19 per cent of the total number being female-headed households.

Dr Laari indicated that beneficiaries would receive the transfer through their registered mobile money wallets.

The WFP Country Director, Ms Rukia Yacoub, said following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the WFP had extended assistance to the government’s social protection programme to help the extremely poor recover from any negative impact of the pandemic on their livelihoods.