More than 120 women in four farming communities in the North East Gonja District of the Savannah Region have received financial support and farm inputs worth over GH¢24,000 from the Member of Parliament (MP) for Salaga North, Alhaji Alhassan Mumuni, to enhance agricultural production and improve their livelihoods.
The beneficiaries, drawn from Nyeshila, Gbateni, Dingooni, and Yenkazi, each received GH¢200 to support land preparation, two bags of NPK fertiliser, and agrochemicals to enable them to cultivate at least one acre of farmland during the current farming season.
In all, 240 bags of fertiliser were distributed under the initiative.
The intervention forms part of the MP's "Salaga North Women Empowerment" programme, which seeks to support women engaged in agriculture, petty trading, and other income-generating activities to improve household welfare and economic independence.
Speaking at an event to handover the fertilizers and money, Alhaji Mumuni said empowering women was critical to community development, stressing that women played a central role in sustaining families and local economies.
"When you empower a woman, you empower the whole community. It is our responsibility to find ways and means to support our women, especially widows and persons living with disabilities in the constituency," he said.
He explained that the support was in fulfilment of a pledge he made to women in the constituency and was intended to enable beneficiaries to cultivate at least an acre of farmland to improve food production and incomes.
The MP noted that he had previously supported women with land preparation services under a repayment arrangement after harvest, adding that the current intervention aligned with government efforts to support farmers through the establishment of farmer service centres and increased access to mechanised services.
The beneficiaries expressed appreciation to the MP for the timely intervention, describing the support as a major relief amid rising production costs.
They said the fertiliser, agrochemicals, and cash assistance would help them expand cultivation and improve yields during the farming season.
According to them, many of the women lacked the resources to purchase farm inputs on their own.
"We did not have the means to buy the chemicals and other inputs needed for farming. Today, our MP has remembered us and supported us in cultivating our farms. We are grateful and pray that God grants him the strength and resources to continue supporting women in these communities," some of the beneficiaries said.
Meanwhile, more than 500 farmers in the district have benefited from a poultry support programme by the Department of Agriculture.
The project, funded by the European Union (EU) under its Food Security Response Programme in Northern Ghana, is being implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in partnership with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to enhance food security and strengthen farmers' livelihoods in the region.
Each beneficiary received 50 poultry birds to start or expand poultry production.
The initiative, which was launched in April this year, also provided participants with training in poultry management, housing, and best farming practices.
Alhaji Mumuni said the enthusiasm shown by farmers demonstrated the programme's potential to increase poultry and egg production in the district while creating additional income opportunities for households.
He added that the intervention would also contribute to improving nutrition through increased consumption of eggs and poultry products.
The North East Gonja District Director of Agriculture, Naomi Zaato, said beneficiary farmers had undergone months of training before receiving the birds.
She explained that participants were taken through poultry housing, feeding, disease management, and general husbandry practices to ensure the sustainability of the project.
Mrs Zaato described the distribution as a significant milestone for agriculture in the district.
"In the face of climate change, where farmers cannot rely solely on crop production, poultry farming offers an alternative livelihood that can enhance food security and increase household incomes," she said.
She thanked the Government of Ghana, the European Union Food Security Response Project, and FAO for supporting farmers in the district.
Mrs Zaato said the initiative complemented the government's Feed Ghana Programme and the "Nkoko Nkitinkiti" poultry intervention aimed at promoting poultry production nationwide.
One of the beneficiary farmers expressed gratitude to the Department of Agriculture, the district assembly, the government, and development partners for the support.
He described the intervention as a "game changer" for farming households, saying it would improve family nutrition, create opportunities for sales, and increase household income.
The farmer expressed belief that with the training received and the support provided, beneficiaries would be able to successfully rear the birds and improve their livelihoods.
