The Resilience Against Climate Change (REACH) project recently held a significant ceremony in Wa, capital of the Upper West Regional, where conservation agriculture (CA) tools worth over GH¢650,000 were handed over to key partners. The event marked a crucial step in advancing sustainable agriculture practices in the region.
The specialized CA tools, including no-till planters, rippers, soil penetrometers, chlorophyll meters, moisture meters, soil augers, and jab planters, were distributed to key entities such as the Babile Agriculture Research Station (BARS), Damongo Agriculture College (DAC), and 14 Departments of Agriculture in North-West Ghana.
These departments encompass all 11 in the Upper West, as well as Mamprugu Moagduri in the North East Region, Sawla-Tuna-Kalba, and North Gonja in the Savannah Region.
The objective behind providing these tools is to facilitate the dissemination of essential agricultural knowledge among farmers by enhancing training and hands-on demonstrations of CA concepts.
Matthias Berthold, the Project Manager of the EU REACH Project, led the handover ceremony, reiterating the EU’s and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (BMZ) commitment to supporting Ghana’s agriculture. Berthold highlighted the importance of equipping partners with necessary tools to promote CA and strengthen their capacity to impart practical agricultural information to farmers.
In response, Samuel Oteng Poku, District Director of Agriculture for Daffiama Bussie Issa, expressed gratitude on behalf of the beneficiary groups, affirming their commitment to utilizing the CA equipment effectively for the benefit of farmers.
Abu Huudu, the Regional Director of the Department of Agriculture in the Upper West Region, stressed the significance of maximising the use of the equipment provided. He underlined the need for effective utilisation to demonstrate the value of inclusion and potentially warrant additional support in the future.
The REACH project, co-funded by the EU and BMZ, aims to promote climate-resilient agricultural production and improve livelihoods in North-West Ghana. Through collaboration with agricultural institutions and Departments of Agriculture, REACH seeks to bolster the adoption of CA and enhance the agricultural extension system in the region.
