The United States Agency for International Development (USIAD), has launched a $35.9 million grant package to boost Ghana’s agriculture systems, with the aim to ensure food security and improve the livelihood of about 200,000 individuals.
The five-year project named as the Ghana Market Systems and Resilience (MSR) Activity would provide the needed finance and input to increase production of maize, shea, bambara beans, soybeans, cowpea, groundnuts, tomatoes, pepper, onion, mango, moringa, and add value to the country’s supply chain system.
The project would benefit smallholder farmers, particularly, women and youth, as well as out-growers, buyers, processors and exporters who are faced with the challenges of inadequate capital and higher prices of farm inputs.
Through the grant facility, which takes effect from March 2023, smallholder farmers and other value chain actors would have access to a financing amount between $5,000 and $25,000 for their various farm projects.
The MSR project is desired to increase off-farm employment and investment opportunities and help solve value chain challenges including single growing season, limited access to land, water, inputs and services and fragmented markets.
Need For MSR Project
Mr Raymond Denteh, Agribusiness and Financial Services Team Leader for the Ghana Market Systems and Resilience activity, Ghana, after the launch of the project in Accra disclosed that, the essence of the grant project was to make sure that the market system was more resilient, more robust and inclusive.
“The project is to support and strengthen the agric market system for increased efficiency, productivity and investment to drive economic growth and increase incomes of households in catchment regions.
“We will target women, youth and people with disabilities and as well focus on commodities that would promote those elements. We want to make sure that the market system is resilient and sustainable, and we are really committed to it.”
Mr Raymond Denteh
The launch of the interview was followed with a with a roadshow for stakeholders in the agriculture value chain.
The roadshow took place at Tamale, Bolgatanga, Wa and the North East Regions, to help prospective applicants understand the significant, eligibility requirements, application process and the nature of the grant.
Mr Denteh revealed that, USAID is with the objective of initiating the project’s rollout as soon as possible, so they would fast-track processes for beneficiaries to access the grant after four to eight weeks of vetting.
Mr Eric Sunu, the Monitoring and evaluation Manager for the Ghana MSR Activity stipulated that, the grant would target private sector businesses and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), noting that applicants whose projects best aligned with the goals of the project would benefit.
Mr. Sunu therefore encouraged applicants to ensure that they took part in the roadshows to acquaint themselves with the application processes and requirements to benefit and affect the lives of others.
“The grant is for actors and businesses within the ecosystem to implement activities and to sustainably benefit actors and meet the target that has been set out by the donor to the project.”
Mr Eric Sunu
Some participants and leaders at the program expressed their gratitude to USAID for its support and assured that, grant received would go to the targeted areas to boost the agriculture and food sector in Ghana, while improving the standard of living of individuals in the rural communities.
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