Projects/Agents

Description:

Due to the successes achieved in Phase 1, a new round of funding received from ICCO and EU. FAMAR project phase 2 started in January, 2008 and ends December, 2011. It is a 4-year project.

To achieve the above objective, four key result areas are being targeted:

1. Agricultural production per farmer (productivity) of targeted farmers to increase by 33% through.

Improved farmer skills
Access to Credit and Savings opportunities
Access to fertile land by women

2. Targeted farmers are organized in viable, gender balanced FBO’s at three levels and have thereby secured fair trade for their products.

Development of viable FBO’s at local, district and regional levels

Development of supply chain

3. 10,000 Participating farmers (of which 45% women) to have secured reliable and profitable market access

Support a dependable intermediary
Support the availability of market information

What have we been doing towards meeting our objectives?

With stations

Sensitisation of partner stations, farmer groups and local partners on the project
Evaluation, selection and support of partner stations
Mobilizing of new groups through ACDEP stations
Organisation of agronomic training for partner extension staff
Capacity building of staff to enhance their capacity to implement a market oriented project

With farmers

Development of farmer group training modules
Community-based farmer training in various subject areas
Community sensitization on the need for women to have access to fertile land
Learning visits to other organizations
Community, district and regional meetings
Facilitating linkages to financial institutions
Field monitoring of farmers’ fields
Etc

Research and collaboration

Collaboration with SARI on Sesame trials
Collaboration with MOFA, DOC and other NGOs for synergies

WHAT HAVE WE ACHIEVED SO FAR?

FBO development

For 2010, the number of farmers and FBOs hooked on the project has increased tremendously as indicated in the figures below:

About 20% of the primary FBOs have registered with Department of Cooperatives (DOC) while some 30% are at various stages of the registration process.

Eleven secondary FBOs have been set up and are functioning effectively at the 11 stations

The tertiary level FBOs have set up in all the three regions with interim executives in place.

Project Goal:

Increase the Standards of living of some 15,000 rural households in the three Northern Regions in Ghana by the end of the project period.

Objectives

Build the FBO structure into a formidable one capable of playing its’ roles in the commodity values chains established.
Upscale production of the value chain commodities for higher incomes for farmers

Description:

The Ghana Agricultural Development and Value Chain Enhancement (ADVANCE ) Project is a 4-Year USAID sponsored project awarded to ACDI/VOCA and being implemented in partnership with a team of agencies including ACDEP as the lead implementer in the Northern Sector. Starting in late 2009, ACDEP is working on three commodity value chains (maize, rice and soybean) and has opened regional offices in Wa, Bolgatanga and the Head Office in Tamale to ensure effective implementation of the program.

Project Goal:

The goal of ADVANCE is to facilitate a transformation of Ghana’s agricultural sector in selected industries to achieve increased competitiveness in domestic, regional and international markets.

Objectives

Increased incomes
The emergence of a commercial agricultural class
Improved services to the main value chain actors
Contribute to economic growth and poverty reduction

Achievements:

ADVANCE is designed around three interlinked components. Enhanced value chain competiveness Increased market access and development of local, regional and international markets Increased access to financial services Key ADVANCE Resources In conjunction with private sector investments, ADVANCE is making modest grants to reduce risk, introduce innovations, leverage resources to mitigate constraints and bring efficiencies to targeted value chain actors. Through the grant mechanism, ADVANCE is awarding grants to willing actors in the supply chains to leverage investment that will enable nucleus farmers to acquire rice harvesting equipment, soybean planters, harvester and threshers to benefit over 10,000 farmers. The Volunteer support-program is an integral and important part of the ADVANCE Program. Volunteer specialists from Ghana and abroad are engaged to provide short-term technical assistance. The volunteer program helps to increase participating value chain actors’ incomes and agribusiness profits by improving productivity, product quality, market access, information services and organizational management. As of now, the ADVANCE project in being implemented in 23 districts in the three northern regions and 11 supply chains have been established. 6788 farmers (2474 females and 4314 males), 7 aggregators, 12 input dealers, 8 financial service providers, 11 mechanized service providers including NAAMSECO have been engaged on the program to bring growth to the sector by increased efficiencies and mutually beneficial business relationship. As this program moves through it’s lifecycle, we anticipate many more benefits accruing.

Description:

In an attempt to reduce poverty, the Government of Ghana in collaboration with the Dutch Government started a school feeding program in 2005, known as the Ghana School Feeding Program (GSFP).

Four years after the inception of the program, enrolment, attendance and retention have improved appreciably in most schools implementing the program.

There is also an emphasis on using locally grown foodstuffs, with a target to procure at least 80% of food from local communities and smallholder farmers. The current local procurement is standing at slightly less than 20%. For a programme with a strategic focus on boosting agriculture, this forms a serious threat to both the achievement of the goal as well as the sustainability of the programme.

The pilot is a collaborative effort between ACDEP & SNV to link the GSFP supported schools to local/domestic food production. ACDEP is leading this effort supported by funding from SNV. The purpose of the pilot is to test to the management of GSFP a feasible, practical approach to involve all key stakeholders at both the district and community levels in actualizing the dream of smallholder farmers being able to access the GSFP as a viable market for their produce. Hence the need for a collaborative effort to fashion out implementation strategies

Project Goal:

The overall aim of the program is to contribute to poverty reduction and to reduce food insecurity. Specifically the objectives of the GSFP are to increase enrolment, attendance and retention, reduce hunger and malnutrition and boost domestic food production.

Objectives

There is also an emphasis on using locally grown foodstuffs, with a target to procure at least 80% of food from local communities and smallholder farmers.
There is also an emphasis on using locally grown foodstuffs, with a target to procure at least 80% of food from local communities and smallholder farmers.

Achievements:

What exactly is the project doing to achieve these objectives? A total of eleven (11) existing Farmer Based Organisations were mobilised around the pilot project schools via the caterers in the two beneficiary districts. Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on sales and purchases were reached and signed by the caterers and FBOs. Caterers are assisted to determine their annual demand and purchase plan as the bases for the procurement of foodstuffs from the FBO. Caterers are gained linked to five (5) financial institutions for credit and enable them purchase the needed quantities from FBOs and stockpile. Farmers and Caterers have also undergone training in group dynamics and basic business skills to sharpen their daily business transactions. If this proves successful ACDEP will be looking to scale this project up across more districts and schools.

Target Group:

Though the strategy is to purchase foodstuffs directly from farmers in the various communities as a way of linking the GSFP to local food production (as market outlet for farmers), many of the food items are instead purchased from markets outside school communities. While some efforts have been made to procure local food ,the bulk of the food cooked in the schools is brought in. There is the need to strengthen the linkage between GSFP (especially the caterers) and smallholder farmers and also explore the possibilities of localising the menu with what can be produced at the community and district level without compromising the health and nutritional needs of the children.

Beneficiaries:

The pilot project is focusing on two major stable crops (maize and rice) and in two districts (Savelugu-Nanton and Builsa). The project is targeting a total of four (4) schools with two schools located in each of the project districts.

Organisation Type:

Regional NGO

Description:

ZEFP is a local and non-profit making development NGO which networks, advocates, and also provides support to Women and Farmer Associations with the aim of complementing the nation’s efforts in fighting rural poverty in the northern Ghana. The principal objective of ZEFP is to upscale environmentally friendly innovative approach in food production to improving livelihoods of the rural poor small holder farmer in the northern Ghana

Mission:

To complement the nation’s efforts in developing the agricultural base as the backbone of local economy (P14, P30, MTDP ) through organic farming technology (for food security) and sustainable use of natural resources in the district.

Vision:

Fighting rural Poverty through sustainable natural resource management for food and income security in the northern Ghana

Recent Accomplishments:

Moatani women sustainable land management[SLM] project under SCI-SLM- a total of 100 household women trained and now practice pit composting for improved crop yields

Guabuliga gully control, terracing and stone bonding project under GOAP

249 acres of Afforestation project established for 5 communities under ECCRING

1000 vulnerable farmers supported with drought resistant livestock breeds as climate change adaptation strategy under ECCRING projects

2485 at risk poor farmers supported to grow Maize, soya and cowpea climate resilience seeds in 5 communities in support of food security needs

625 women trained and supported to produced their own energy saving stoves to reduce house hold consumption of fuel/day

300 women supported to process quality shea butter, soap and pomade as IGA strategies to increase economic income under climate change adaptation

Desertification and dry land control advocacy project under KASA aimed at pushing Ghana government to address desertification and its related poverty induced issues as a priority in the northern Ghana

Quote:

Bringing hope to the distressed poor rural peasant farmer.

Objectives:

To facilitate food security initiatives for the project beneficiaries to adapt to environmental and climate change

To provide and support basic organic/ecological agricultural training and technology in rural communities

To identify and support viable farm animal rearing opportunities in rural communities

To promote sound and sustainable environmental resources management

To boost household incomes through practical training in income generating activities

Partner Activities:

The Organic farming techniques of compost building and its application

Post-harvest lost management technology

Farm animal rearing implemented through support for the local women and the youth

Dry seasons and small irrigation farming are incorporated to support farmer’s income and nutrition during long awaiting dry season period

Tree growing activities

Women income generating activities

Supporting household energy saving stoves construction

Images

Page 8 of 12

Objectives

Objectives

Objectives

Images

Our Location

Address-footer

Address

Phone: +233 37 202 3245

+233 37 202 3807

E-mail: info@acdep.org