Oxfam supports 3000 rural farmers in Ghana
Oxfam, a UK-funded non-governmental organization has introduced 3000 rural household farmers in four districts to various climate change adaptation strategies to increase their income and diversify their livelihoods.
The three-year pilot project which is dubbed, “Climate Adaptation Learning Project (ELCAP)”, started in 2012 and seeks to enhance the capacity of rural communities to adapt to climate change.
It also seeks to improve their access to natural resources and increase food production as well as the income of farmers.
Mr. Sebastian Tiah, Country Director of Oxfam Ghana revealed this during a review and planning meeting with beneficiary communities and partners in Tamale last Thursday.
He said climate change effects had become imminent in the country and affected rainfall patterns which, he said, created drought and desertification, thus rendering agriculture more unproductive.
He noted that the best way to overcome the challenge was to introduce farmers to various initiatives including the ELCAP.
Mr. Tiah said Oxfam was implementing the project in 16 communities in the three northern regions at a cost of about 300,000 Pounds Sterling.
He enumerated some achievements of the project, and said 225 female farmers and 20 male counterparts had been given goats for rearing while 1,200 mango seedlings, 4,141 acacia and teak tree seedlings had been planted in four communities.
He added that Oxfam had introduced a village savings and loans system, adding that 421 women had been trained to manage their incomes through the scheme.
He indicated that the poor rainfall pattern experienced earlier this year could result in shortage of food in the country, particularly in the northern regions and urged the Government to adopt realistic and practical measures by targeting people in need to mitigate their plight.
Mrs. Vivian Abendago, a farmer from Zambogu in the Upper West Region expressed gratitude to Oxfam for supporting her, saying that she had increased her income through the project.
Source: GNA