The Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture,Mr. Yaw Frimpong Addo, has reaffirmed government’s commitment to empower women in agriculture.
He said if women are well-resourced and get the needed training in agriculture they would feed more thousands of households in the society.
The Deputy Minister made the statement at the launch of One Household One Garden (1H1G) in Banvum, a farming community near Tamale yesterday.
The programme was organised by Agrihouse Foundation with support from Alliance for Green Revolution Africa (AGRA) and USAID Feed the Future programme.
The project is targeted to empower 2,000 women households and 10 schools through backyard gardening.
The objective of the project is to ensure household food, nutrition security and to be implemented in 17 districts in the northern part of the country.
Beneficiary districts areTempane, Daffiama Bessie Issa, Nadowli, Sissala West, Wa East, East Mamprusi and MampruguMoagduri.
The rest are Mion, Sagnerigu, Nanton, Gusheigu, Karaga,Yendi Municipal, Bawku Municipal, Bawku West and Garu District.
Launching the project, the Deputy Minister said the project would contribute immensely to the socio-economic development of this country.
He stated that, the ministry is welcoming the initiative that seeks to empower families and households at the communities.
He said the Agrihouse Foundation and the partners’ initiative would significantly complement the efforts of the ministry to implement projects that would enhance productivity to improve the wellbeing of Ghanaians.
The Deputy Minister said the ministry is committed to partner with Agrihouse Foundation and would continue to provide them the technology support at any given time.
He added that the project would not only improve the lives of the direct beneficiaries but would also impact positively to other members of the communities in the various implemented districts.
The Deputy Minister said the project would also go a long way to create jobs for the youth in the communities and urged the beneficiaries to take the project serious.
He however added that the project would contribute to mental and physical development of the children through a balance diet.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Agrihouse Foundation, Ms Alberta Nana AkyaaAkosa, said the initiative by her foundation was to provide an alternative to boast the economic growth of the people in northern Ghana.
She said the project would also go a long way to close the nutritional gaps, reduce stunting and help the growth of immune system in children.
Ms Akosa appealed to government and other NGOs to help sustain the project in the beneficiary districts.
The Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Alhassan Shani Shaibu, said the project would help improve the lives of farmers in the region.
The Minister also called on the young women in the beneficiary districts to take advantage of the initiative.
He however commended the chiefs and people of Banvum Traditional Area for releasing such a land to Agrihouse for the project.
BY TIMES REPORTER
