Green for Change Ghana officials with cashew farmers in Damongo
Green for Change Ghana in partnership with USAID through its funded Feed the Future Ghana Trade and Investment (GTI) Activity, has ended its project on building the capacity of smallholder cashew farmers on harvest and post-harvest, including nut quality in the West Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region.
The project was implemented over six months across six communities namely Soalepe, Bunyanto, Achubunyor, Jonokponto, Taliorpe, and Busunu in the West Gonja Municipality.
The Executive Director of Green for Change Ghana, John Balankoo Sumbo, at the End of Project Evaluation Workshop in Damongo, said they trained 300 farmers on post-harvest management, 300 cashew farmers on effective negotiation and marketing, and 30 lead farmers on best cashew production techniques.
He also indicated that about 2,645 seedlings of different species including cashew, mango, baobab, kapok, mahogany, and cassia with over 60% being cashew distributed to farmers in collaboration with the Forest Service Division and World Vision Ghana.
Mr. Sumbo disclosed that throughout the project, they learnt that lead farmer approach was a very good module in empowering grassroots structures and deepening sustainability.
Mr. Ezekiel Akwasi Gariba of the Department of Agric, West Gonja Municipality, said the training was very timely for the development of farmers in the municipality.
He noted that the buyers of cashew nuts normally buy the nuts at cheaper prices because the farmers are ignorant about how to determine quality of the cashew nut.
Mr. Alidu Shahadu, who spoke on behalf of the cashew farmers, thanked Green for Change Ghana for the training, adding that it will go a long way to enhance their farming activities and productivity.
By Eric Kombat, Damongo