{"id":266982,"date":"2016-11-10T12:40:02","date_gmt":"2016-11-10T12:40:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=266982"},"modified":"2016-11-10T12:40:02","modified_gmt":"2016-11-10T12:40:02","slug":"usaid-ring-feed-the-future-project-thrives-in-northern-region","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2016\/11\/usaid-ring-feed-the-future-project-thrives-in-northern-region\/","title":{"rendered":"USAID-RING Feed the Future project thrives in Northern Region"},"content":{"rendered":"
Over 2,000 female beneficiaries of the United States Agency for International Development\u00a0(USAID) Resiliency in Northern Ghana (RING) Feed the Future mission, have started harvesting 100 acres of orange-fleshed sweet potato\u00a0<\/b>cultivated in 70 communities of 17 districts in the Northern Region.<\/p>\n
This is in line with the USAID-RING ‘orange-fleshed sweet potato’ project, implemented to improve the beneficiaries\u2019 income levels and by extension advance nutrition in the targeted communities.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n He reiterated the USAID\u2019s commitment to combat malnutrition in Northern Ghana.<\/p>\n \u201cThrough Feed the Future, the U.S. government\u2019s 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,\u201d Andy Karas\u00a0explained.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n He said the USAID would deepen its partnership with district assemblies, smallholder farmers, agric extension officers and other relevant institutions to achieve the project\u2019s goal.<\/p>\n Andy Karas touted the University for Development Studies (UDS) as a major partner in the project\u2019s implementation.<\/p>\n \u201cWe 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.\u201d<\/p>\n