The Ghana Cattle Ranching and Transhumance Committee (GCRTC) has been launched in Accra to support efforts to create conditions conducive to peaceful transhumance activities in the country.
It is expected to work with the Ministries of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and National Security by providing the needed advisory and guidance to enable Ghana maximise the benefits of transhumance activities.
Launching the Committee on April 6, the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mohammed Hardy Turferu, in a statement read on his behalf, said the livestock sub-sector was an important component of agriculture in Ghana and West Africa at large.
He noted that, it played a multifaceted role in providing livelihood support to many of the populace, especially those in rural areas.
He explained that, while it provided employment generation opportunities in the rural and peri-urbarn areas, it also offered prospects for wealth creation, income enhancement, coping mechanism against crop failure, financial security and improvement in rural livelihoods.
“Our sub-region has a livestock population of over 346 million, which include about 74 million cattle, 110 million sheep, 157 million goats and five million camels.
Livestock contributes between five to15 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of ECOWAS member states and as high as 40 per cent GDP in some Sahelean countries,” MrTurferu added.
Despite the socio-economic importance of transhumance activities to Ghana, he said, it had been the source of many conflicts between nomadic herders and sedentary farmers, causing loss of human lives and property.
He stated that, the Committee, which replaced the previous National Transhumance Committee (NTC) have been assigned a broader mandate to work with all stakeholders in promoting peaceful transhumance activities in the country.
“The new name will give the committee more international recognition, technical support and attract funding from international donors for the committee to execute its mandate effectively,” MrTurferu added.
The President of Farmers Organisations Network in Ghana (FONG), Dr King David Amoah, said, the establishment of the committee would have a positive impact on transhumance management in Ghana and contributes to reversing the negative perception of the role of transhumance in national development.
He said the group was committed to promoting peaceful and sustainable transhumance in West Africa while preserving the traditional livelihoods of nomadic herders.
“We are convinced that transhumance can contribute significantly to the socio-economic development of the region and are determined to work with stakeholders to find sustainable solutions to the challenges posed by this activity,” he added.
Dr Amoah said FONG would work with all stakeholders to ensure the success of the GCRTC and promote peaceful and sustainable transhumance in West Africa and promote rural development through livestock.
Chairman of the Committee, Dr Kwame Oppong-Anane, called on government and other stakeholders to support the work of the Committee with resources to be able to deliver on its mandate.
BY CLAUDE NYARKO ADAMS
