31-10-2011
The Presbyterian Agric Station (PAS) in the Garu-Tempane District of the Upper East Region has rounded up its advocacy review meeting with a call on participants to explore avenues of lobbying for projects to improve their standard of living and also ensure development in their respective communities. The review meeting was a follow up to previous capacity building advocacy and training programmes held for the participants, who are mainly smallholder farmers with women constituting the majority. The said training programme which is captured under the advocacy component of the Food and Agriculture Recovery Management project (FARMplus) is being implemented by Care International and Oxfam in partnership with the Presbyterian Agric Station. The training, according to the Advocacy Officer of PAS, Awuni Baba Foster, was to influence agriculture policy and practice to have improved focus on vulnerable small holder farmers. Through the programme, beneficiaries would be able to identify their community problems, analyse and prioritize them to benefit themselves and their communities. This is to also help them lobby and solicit support from policy makers and stakeholders who matter in addressing problems identified in a particular community. He said the project with sponsorship by the European Union is being implemented in 10 communities out of the 40 communities captured under the food and security component of the project. Beneficiaries Mr. Awuni Foster emphasized are expected to present to the appropriate quarters their problems for consideration and support through the training they have acquired. Mr. Awuni told Radio Ghana that the training has offered a lot of opportunities for small holder farmers since they have undergone community advocacy, lobbying and campaigning skills. He added that beneficiaries through the programme were engage in community interface meeting with MOFA to expose MOFA activities to community members to enable them demand for their services. Moreover, Community exchange visits were also organized for beneficiaries to enable them learn and adapt to modern agricultural practices to improve their yield. The motive he explained is to assist in addressing the problem of food insecurity in the district. Mr Awuni expressed the hope that partners involved in the project will put in place pragmatic and workable interventions to ensure its sustainability since it will be ending soon. Mr Aba’an Philip, a beneficiary from the Kunsabilla community, commended PAS and its implementing agencies for their support and assistance. The programme he noted has impacted positively on the lives of beneficiaries and urge his colleagues to impart the knowledge they have acquired to benefit other farmers.
GBC END IA/
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