Agric value chain key to ensure food security in northern Ghana – Expert

Mr Felix Daramani, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist of the Northern Rural Growth Programme (NRGP) has said development of agricultural value chain was key to the promotion of food security in the three northern regions.

Mr Daramani said the NRGP supported small and large scale farmers and food processors to increase and improve on their productivity to sustain the three regions of the north.

With an overall objective of reducing rural migration and poverty reduction in the three northern regions, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, said analysis of the agricultural value chain had been assessed and activities carried out under the NRGP had been identified to suit specific needs of farmers in the three northern regions where the programme was being operated.

He was speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga on Thursday on the objectives of the NRGP and the involvement of women as actors in food security.

Mr Daramani said four windows were categorized under the value chain development, which women benefited immensely from the commodity window component that aimed at supporting them (women) in the production and processing of shea butter, moringa and African rice.

The other three area the industrial commodity window that promoted large scale production of maize, sorghum and soya; the high value commodity window that included fruits and vegetables; and the animal based window that dealt with small ruminants such as goats, sheep, aquaculture, pigs and guinea fowl production.

He said access to credit was also made easier for the actors in the value chain development through sensitization and linkage to credit sources.

Mr Daramani said the programme currently liaised and worked with 24 rural and two national banks to provide credit to the farmers.

He said 839 farmers were engaged in the value chain development programme with 4,000 hectares of maize production under the industrial commodity window.

Source: GNA