According to the Deputy Chief Party of RING, Yunus Abdulai, the VSLAs component of the project raked in over GH¢4.4million since it started.

He gave an overview of the project’s achievements and future plans at a meeting with a cross section of the media in Tamale.

He said Ghc1.8 million has so far been disbursed and gave the breakdown as 27% for agriculture, 12% Education, 50% Income generating activities, 7% Health and 4% for other activities.

“The project in 2015, we piloted the cultivation of orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSPs) and harvested 20,000 kilograms from 29 sites. In 2016, we scaled up with 1.2 million vines distributed to 2,118 women and by the harvesting season, 264 metric tonnes were realised and this goes a long way to improve the nutritional status of women and children in these communities.”

“More than 7,428 acres of soybeans were ploughed in 2016 under the ‘small is beautiful concept’ with smaller plots and better practices to improve yield. This yielded 2,207 metric tonnes with average yield of 289 kilograms per acre.”

Yunus Abdulai revealed the project’s future strategy saying, “The project in 2017 will support 10,000 women with 5 million OFSP vines to produce approximately 1,000 metric tonnes of OFSPs. We will install 250 small scale drip irrigation systems in 90 communities reaching 3,000 women and support 7,836 women to grow 6,000 acres of soybeans with estimated yield of 2,400 metric tonnes.”

“Still in 2017, we will support 455 women with 4,500 birds to promote egg consumption by targeting households especially children under 5. We will also support 3,400 women with 2,500 acres of groundnuts with emphasis on aflatoxin prevention as well as support 2,000 women with 6,000 sheep to improve their livelihoods,” he added.

The RING project Programs Manager, Bethany Davidson disclosed that 94 government staff have been trained on asset management and 283 Assembly staff trained on Social Protection and Poverty reduction.

“Seventeen Gender Desk Officers have also been trained on gender mainstreaming and 330 Area Council and Unit Committee Members trained on their basic roles and responsibilities.”

The Nutrition Component Manager, Kristen Kappos also said the project has trained 342 health workers on anemia prevention and control whereas 694 community health workers have acquired skills on anemia referral.

She said the project through community durbars educated 41,303 people on the nutrition component.

The RING project was launched in 2014 and over 300,000 beneficiaries are targeted by June 2019.

The USAID in collaboration with the Regional Coordinating Council and the district assemblies is implementing the project in 17 districts.

The American government provided US$28 million to the Government of Ghana for the project’s implementation.

The funds are to enable the Regional Coordinating Council and the district assemblies implement activities that will improve nutrition and hygiene and as well strengthen the resiliency of poor families.

Additionally, the American government provided technical assistance and capacity building support to district assemblies and the NRCC for planning, implementation and coordinating of activities to improve the livelihoods and nutritional status of vulnerable families.

–

By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post USAID-RING empowers over 36,000 Ghanaians appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

This is in line with the USAID-RING ‘orange-fleshed sweet potato’ project, implemented to improve the beneficiaries’ income levels and by extension advance nutrition in the targeted communities.

The USAID-Ghana Mission Director, Andy Karas, supervised the maiden orange-fleshed sweet potatoes harvest festival held at Nyensung in the Gushiegu district, which attracted major stakeholders in the agric sector.

He reiterated the USAID’s commitment to combat malnutrition in Northern Ghana.

“Through Feed the Future, the U.S. government’s initiative that works to end global hunger, Ghana is a priority country. Here in Ghana, we focus on the northern regions and are working to reduce the prevalence of stunted children by at least 20 percent. Stunting is caused by lack of nutrients, and it leads to reduced growth, development and prospects. By fighting stunting, we are ensuring thousands more children across the north have the opportunity to reach their full potential,” Andy Karas explained.

He said the USAID would deepen its partnership with district assemblies, smallholder farmers, agric extension officers and other relevant institutions to achieve the project’s goal.

Andy Karas touted the University for Development Studies (UDS) as a major partner in the project’s implementation.

“We partner with district assemblies to improve the nutrition of families throughout northern Ghana. We partner with the University for Development Studies to produce orange-fleshed sweet potato vines and to train agriculture extension officers to grow and store the crops.”

He emphasized the nutritive value of the orange-fleshed sweet potato, saying, “We partner with women to show them how to turn this vegetable into delicious and nutritious dishes like porridge, fried chips and stew dishes.”

According to Andy Karas, the project in 2015 was piloted in some selected communities where 400 women received support of 100,000 vines.

“That year, we harvested 25 metric tons of healthy potatoes. Due to this success, we supported more than 2,000 women this year. These women planted 1.5 million vines on 100 acres this year; acres that will yielded 250 metric tons of orange-fleshed sweet potato.”

The Gushiegu District Chief Executive, Seidu Abdulai, revealed that the district received a budgetary support of over GH¢1.2million for the 2015/2016 approved work plan under the RING project.

“The estimated amount for 2017 is GH¢998,000.00. For OFSP alone, this year, the district spent a total of GH¢34,901.32 for the cultivation and management of cultural practices in 7 communities including Nyensung, which alone has a total of 34 households who were supported by this intervention with ploughing, seeds and farm tools.”

Seidu Abdulai commended the USAID for complementing the assembly’s developmental efforts in areas such as livelihood, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene and governance.

The USAID is the lead U.S. government agency that works to end extreme global poverty and enable resilient, democratic societies to realise their potentials.

The USAID supports Ghana in increasing food security, improving basic healthcare, enhancing access to quality basic education and strengthening local governance to benefit all Ghanaian people.

Through Feed the Future project, the U.S government’s global hunger and food security initiative, the USAID is collaborating with the Government of Ghana, the University for Development Studies and the Peace Corps to promote the cultivation and consumption of “Alaafei Wuljo” in the 17 districts of Northern Ghana.

The OFSP is expected to improve the health of thousands of women and children in Northern Ghana.

–

By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post USAID-RING Feed the Future project thrives in Northern Region appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.