WFP provides small-holder farmers with technical assistance

The World Food Programme (WFP) has trained a total of 1,344 small-holder farmers under its “Purchase for Progress Initiative”, building their competencies in technical, business and organizational development.

The goal of the programme is to aid them to adopt best practices in the food value chain and also open up market opportunities for their products as well as help reduce food insecurity, poverty, hunger and malnutrition in the targeted communities.

Mr Ismael Omer, the Country Director, said the training targeted maize and rice farmers in the Ashanti and Northern Regions.

He said this in a speech read for him at the presentation of some agricultural equipment to 15 selected maize farmer groups in the Ejura-Sekyedumase District.

The items included 820 tarpaulins, 11,000 poly sack bags, 16 weighing scales, 16 stitching machines and 64 bags of poly sack closing thread.

Mr Omer said they are meant to assist them to meet specifications and quality standards demanded by the WFP in its purchase of maize from the farmers.

He said the programme has made an order for 514 metric tons of maize worth over US$300,000.00 from farmers at Ejura.

Mr Lawrence Krampah, the District Director of Food and Agriculture, commended the WFP for the donation and appealed to the farmers to adopt the improved farming technologies to raise production levels and boost returns.**