The United States, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has announced a $3 million (over 48 million Ghanaian cedis) package to assist farmers impacted by a severe dry spell and to improve healthcare delivery in northern Ghana.
The funds, part of the Feed the Future Resilience in Northern Ghana Systems Strengthening Activity, will be disbursed to select civil society organisations working in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Ghana Health Service.
“This is an important step in ensuring that communities not only have access to nutritious food but also good health and social services,” said Maureen Malavé, USAID/Ghana Nutrition and Social Protection Lead, during the grant announcement in Tamale.
Boosting climate-smart agriculture
Out of the total funds, $1.7 million is earmarked for smallholder farmers adversely affected by prolonged periods of low rainfall. USAID and its partners will provide training in climate-smart agriculture, including dry-season farming, to over 10,000 farmers.
Farmers will also receive inputs to grow nutritious crops such as cowpea, yellow maize, soybean, sesame, and moringa, alongside guidance on rearing guinea fowls, roosters, and rabbits as alternative sources of livelihood.
The initiative will further support the transport of surplus agricultural produce to areas grappling with food shortages. This measure builds on a recent USAID donation of $1.7 million through the World Food Programme to assist communities severely impacted by the drought.
Enhancing maternal and child health
The remaining $1.3 million will focus on improving nutrition and maternal and child health services in the north. This includes the establishment and strengthening of community-based health and social protection platforms and the introduction of ‘pregnancy schools’ to educate expectant parents on maintaining healthy pregnancies and preventing malnutrition.
Legacy of support
The United States is Ghana’s largest development partner, with USAID alone providing over $150 million in bilateral support in the past year. These funds have been directed toward health, economic growth, agriculture, education, and governance initiatives.