Although Ghana is now considered a middle income country, northern Ghana continues to experience cumulative and increasing poverty. Climate change takes a toll on agricultural livelihoods — the main income for 85% of northern Ghana’s farming families — leaving families and children without adequate food, access to basic necessities, or a path to prosperity.
Poverty is on the rise as more families, 85% of whom rely on agriculture, are unable to meet their basic needs. Women struggle the most as their access to good land is restricted and they lack the means to participate fully in agricultural activities.
Lack of access to schools, teaching materials and qualified teachers prevents many Ghanaian children from getting a good education. Many adults have little formal education and lack literacy and numeracy skills to help their children or to fully develop their own economic potential.
Increases in temperatures, unpredictable rainfall and ongoing soil erosion is expected for Ghana’s northern regions over the next 15 years, increasing already high levels of food insecurity, malnutrition and povertyamong Ghana’s rural farm families and their children.
Training in climate adapted agriculture systems, tools, and technologies such as contour plowing and use of climate adapted seeds are building resilience and agricultural productivity so that Ghana’s smallholder farmers can earn a better living from the land. Initiatives include cascading training from agricultural experts to community-based agricultural extension volunteers and on to farmers though the use of demonstration plots and farmer field days.
When women are fully integrated into agricultural activities, given access to training, and involved in leadership and decision-making structures, their children, families and communities thrive. We empower women to participate in and lead their own and their communities’ agricultural and non-agricultural development activities.
Income-generating initiatives such as basket weaving, soap and shea butter processing, and bee-keeping increase and diversify family income sources and improve food security year-round by ensuring that parents earn enough money to supplement the food they can grow. Village savings and loans associations enable people to save and borrow money to cushion them during lean months without having to sell assets like livestock. They also boost community resilience by linking people to local and regional government and market supports.
Northern Ghana lacks many of the basics required for quality education: infrastructure, teachers, and good governance for primary schools. We support teacher recruitment and training, assist in infrastructure development, and distribute learning materials and equipment that provide Ghana’s children with safe spaces to learn and grow.
Through training in climate-smart agriculture, the Resilient and Sustainable Livelihoods Transformation (RESULT) project (2012-2018) strengthened poor rural communities in the Upper East and Upper West regions of Ghana. RESULT increased and diversified what is produced on farms, building on existing sources of income, and established new income opportunities. Families are becoming more resilient to climate change, accessing better prices for their crops, and women are empowering themselves.
Generously funded by the Government of Canada. Read more about RESULT.
CFTC’s Climate Change Adaptation in Northern Ghana Enhanced (CHANGE) project in Northern Ghana (2013-2015) provided smallholder farm families with training, resources, support and agricultural inputs to build resilience and improve yields, and achieved its goal to improve food security for thousands of families.
Generously funded by the Government of Canada. Read more about CHANGE.
More than 900 farmers attended climate-smart farming training, increasing their productivity, incomes and community resilience.
Farmers received agricultural inputs, including drought-resistant seeds, tools and livestock.
Over 1,300 people (97% women) are earning income in 54 income-generating groups and VSLAs.
500+ people have been trained on nutrition and food utilization, leading to better dietary diversity and health for children and families.
Nine communities have established fish farms (aquaculture) as a source of protein in local diets and family income. 70% of participants in fish farming are women.
140 communities have volunteer community livestock and agricultural agents helping farmers.
REGIONAL ADVISORY INFORMATION & NETWORK SYSTEMS (RAINS)
RAINS works in Ghana’s Northern Region, supporting productive livelihoods, access to education, and climate-smart agriculture by providing grassroots capacity-building in the sustainable use and management of natural resources.
TRADE AID INTEGRATED (TAI)
TAI seeks to help the productive poor to create and manage viable ventures for sustained poverty reduction and wealth creation. Based in the Upper East Region, TradeAID is involved in promoting sustainable rural livelihoods, helping to strengthen off-farm alternative livelihoods and climate-smart farming activities.
ASSOCIATION OF CHURCH-BASED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES (ACDEP)
The Association of Church-based Development Programmes (ACDEP) is a network of over 40 organizations in northern Ghana engaged in agricultural development, micro-finance, rural enterprise development for women’s groups and value chains / market access. Through these programs, ACDEP works with rural communities to improve livelihoods, household food security, and health in northern Ghana.
The team for Ghana
Country Finance Manager
Driver and Logistics Assistant
|Greater access to education through improved infrastructure, teacher training and recruitment, greater community engagement.|
|Food security, dietary diversity and better family nutrition through training on climate-resilient agricultural techniques and alternative livelihoods (especially for women).|
|Higher school attendance, retention and graduation rates; equity in good educational outcomes between boys and girls.|
We did not know that a woman could participate in farming activities, but the [CHANGE] project has educated us. We’ve been encouraged to cultivate crops that meet the dietary needs of our communities. I cultivated yellow maize and Bambara beans last year.FAIRUZA SULEMANA, FARMER AND CHANGE PROJECT PARTICIPANTHow you can help
MAKE A DONATION
Make a single, monthly or in memoriam donation and help feed, educate and protect Ghanaian children.
GIVE THE BEST GIFT EVER
Tangible gifts, like a fish farming kit, make a real difference in the lives of Ghanaian families & children.