Ghana School Feeding Programme to buy produce from Wa farmers

Twenty five farmer based groups in the Wa East District of the Upper West Region have agreed to sell their farm produce to caterers who operate under the Ghana School Feeding Program (GSFP).

They are to sell their produce; beans, maize, rice and groundnuts to the caterers at the current market prices of these commodities, with an addition of 10% margin for credit sales.

The groups are the Wa East Cooperative Farmers and Marketing Union and other farmer based groups at Chaggu, Dupari, Kulkong, Loggu, Baayiri, Bulenga, Kumbugu, Kpaliworgu and Baalekpone communities.

This was made known at a workshop organised by the Netherlands Development Organisation (SNV) with support from GSFP and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) at Funsi.

The workshop created a platform for small holder farmers and school feeding caterers in the district to interact.

Mrs. Fati Bodua Seidu, the Country Director for SNV noted that most farmers in the district were not aware that the School Feeding Program had a ready market for their farm produce.

She said through the Home Grown School Feeding Program (HGSF) concept that was developed by SNV, farmers could sell their produce to caterers of the GSFP without having to incur additional cost of transporting their produce to marketing centers.

Mrs. Seidu noted that 10,000 small holder farmers in Ghana with 30% being women could derive stable incomes through effective participation in the programme.

According to her, the program was open, transparent and accountable in relation to procurement practices in its implementation and was going to help boost domestic food production and reduce poverty.

Madam Cecilia Hamza, the Upper West Regional Coordinator of the GSFP noted that the programme was going to impact greatly on the economy, as 80% of local foodstuff would be acquired from the farmers by the caterers under GSFP.

She called on the farmers to ensure constant supply of the produce demanded by the caterers and advised them to improve the quality of the food they cook for the children in the 42 schools, benefiting from the School Feeding Program in the district.

Source: GNA