This was made known by the Sector Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Limuna Muniru, at the regional launch of the Ghana Agriculture Sector Investment Programme, GASIP, in Bolgatanga.
He said due to the growing effect of climate change, the region is fast becoming a gateway to the Sahara desert adding that if urgent steps are not taken to mitigate the impact, the country will risk losing its rich arable farmlands to desertification.
Alhaji Muniru therefore cautioned farmers against poor farming practices and proposed the preservation and propagation of economic trees as one of the effective ways to addressing the looming threat.
GASIP is an agricultural value chain programme designed to be private sector led and demand-driven in approach to facilitate and promote agribusiness.
The $113 million dollars project with funding by the Ghana Government and the International Fund for Agriculture Development, IFAD is scheduled to be implemented in the long- term covering a period of six years.
The focus is on private sector led, pro-poor agricultural value chain development targeting smallholder producers especially women, youth and young adults between the ages of 15and 34.
The programme also hinges on four strategic pillars, some of which include the promotion and mainstreaming of climate change resilience approaches in areas of Northern Ghana as well as establishing linkages for smallholder producers to agribusinesses with the aim to enhancing pro-poor development.
Launching the programme, the Minister of Agriculture, Alhaji Limuna Muniru underscored the need for both the public and the private sector actors including the MOFA, EPA and the assemblies to comprehend the new approach to promoting agribusiness.
He therefore encouraged farmers to take advantage of the GASIP and adapt to best practices in mitigating the impact of climate change.
He therefore recommended the growth and preservation of some economic trees such as Shea, Baobab and Gum Arabic.
GASIP works by calling for proposals from the various value chain actors specifying what business they do and the type of support they require for submission and consideration.
A careful evaluation of proposals submitted will subsequently carried out to assess the potency of these businesses and how they will increase the incomes of smallholder farmers.
The Upper East Regional Minister, Albert Abongo said with lessons drawn from past projects, he was hopeful that under GASIP farmers will be better off while the region stands to retain its past glory as one of the nation’s bread baskets.
Participants were taken through the various components and fortunes under GASIP in a presentation by the Project Coordinator, Roy Aayariga and the Manager of the Climate Change Adaptation of GASIP, Dr Eric Twum.
The Sector Minister and his entourage later toured some project sites to interact with farmers and update them on the prospects under GASIP.
Areas vested include Gbedembilsi Rice Valley, Weisi warehouse and the Fumbisi rice farm.
GBC
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