Market Access

ACDEP has been running a number of programs over the years with the broad aim of assisting local farmers to increase yields and get better access to markets along with fairer prices for their produce. This has been augmented recently with actions around building and strengthening the market value chains around key commodities produced in the Northern regions. ACDEP has successfully managed programs to tackle some these challenges using both study based and implementation only approaches through our network of regional offices and member stations.

Background

The Northern regions of Ghana are be-devilled with a plethora of problems, which include low agricultural production, inadequate health educational facilities, roads, electricity supply, water supply, communication facilities etc. Whilst acknowledging the historical basis for this state of affairs, it must also be acknowledged that the people of Northern Ghana, governments past and present, and the international community are all pulling resources to reverse this precarious situation. Regrettably however, the poverty levels are only falling slowly and sometimes continue to rise which is a source of great concern. For instance it is estimated that on the average 7 out of 10 people in Northern Ghana are poor or extremely poor, as compared to 2 out of 10 poor or extremely poor people in Southern Ghana. (Source UNDP MDG Report 2008) Farming remains the main stay of over 70% of the people in Northern Ghana, providing the needed income for paying school fees, medical bills, casual farm labour, fuel, and other family expenses. The reasons for this are many and varied but a key one remains difficulty in accessing markets and attracting fair prices for their produce.

Projects

Project Name Description Status Start Date
Northern Rural Growth Programme (NRGP)

The Government of Ghana received a loan from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and African Development Bank (AfDB) towards the cost of implementing the Northern Rural Growt

Implementation 1381622400
Expanding Climate Change Resilience in Northern Ghana (ECCRING)

Climate change is directly impacting lives in Northern Ghana. Climate change adaptation is about enabling communities to anticipate and cope with the effects of climate change.

Implementation 1381449600
Ghana School Feeding Program (GSFP)

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).

Completion 1065657600 to 1382832000
Advance

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 agenci

FAMAR Phase II

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.

FAMAR Phase 1

The Farmers’ Agricultural Production and Market Project phase I (FAMAR I) was launched by ACDEP in October 2004 with funding from ICCO and PSO, both Netherlands based NGOs, to address the problems

Implementing Partner

Name

Description

Type

Zasilari Ecological Farms Project

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.

Regional NGO
Assemblies of God Relief and Services (AGREDS)

The Assemblies of God, Relief and Development Services (AGREDS) is a Church-based non-profit NGO that co-ordinates all the development and relief programmes of the Assemblies programmes of the Assemblies of God Church, Ghana.

National NGO