The Resilience Against Climate Change (REACH) Project has handed over some Conservative Agriculture (CA) equipment worth GHC650, 000 to municipal/district assemblies and other project partners.
These institutions and departments are provided with tools and equipment to enhance the training and practical demonstration of Conservation Agriculture principles and practices, facilitating the dissemination of information to farmers.
“The specialized Conservation Agriculture tools benefitted key entities such as Babile Agriculture Research Station (BARS), Damongo Agriculture College (DAC), and 14 Departments of Agriculture in North-West Ghana.
“They include all 11 in Upper West, Mamprugu Moagduri in North East Region, Sawla-Tuna-Kalba and North Gonja in Savannah Region. The tools encompass a comprehensive array, including No-Till Planters, Rippers, Soil Penetrometers, Chlorophyll Meters, Moisture Meters, Soil Augers and Jab Planters,” the REACH project said in a statement on February 22, 2024. The handing over ceremony was held in Wa.
Speaking during the handing over of the equipment in Wa, the Project Manager, Matthias Berthold said “promoting sustainable agriculture cannot happen without equipment. This difficulty is being addressed by providing the necessary equipment useful for promoting CA to further strengthen the work of the partners in facilitating the transfer of practical CA information to farmers, fostering a community of resilient agricultural practices”.
The handing over ceremony was attended by Regional and District Directors of Agriculture, among others.
The Upper West Regional Director of the Department of Agriculture, Mr Abu Huudu says “being promoter of Conservative Agriculture, it is necessary for you to even know the equipment and tools that you are promoting and then how to use them”.
He advised the institutions receiving the equipment to make good use of it and not let it gather dust on shelves.
REACH is one of the pillars of the European Union Ghana Agriculture Programme (EUGAP). It is the European Union's largest ongoing programme in Ghana, with a budget of EUR 132 million.
This programme supports the agriculture sector and builds resilience against climate change to increase agricultural productivity, protect natural resources, and improve access to markets, capital and infrastructure (feeder roads and irrigation).
It is operational in 14 Districts in 3 Regions of North West Ghana, namely the Upper West, Savannah, and North East Regions. It is under the REACH project the handing over of the Conservation Agriculture tools and equipment took place.