A two days small scale farmers on climate smart agriculture training has commenced in Tamale.
The training which is held in Tamale started today, Friday, 12th April, 2024 and will end on Saturday, 13th April, 2024. The training which is focused on climate smart agriculture is initiated by Ghana Youth Guide with funding support from Civil Society in Development (CISU) and technically supported by DIB in Denmark. Farmers were taking through the project manual where several areas were discussed and deliberated in relation to climate smart agriculture.
In all, 50 small scale farmers comprising both men and women and the disabled were drawn from Tolon and Savelugu districts in the Northern region.
Other participants were the Board of Directors of Ghana Youth Guide, Volunteers of Ghana Youth Guide and the media. The farmers were taken through various ways to address climate change and adopt modern farming techniques in their farming activities. This training will climax the first quarter of the project as the second quarter of the project is expected to commence soon.
For about 3 months now, Ghana Youth Guide (GYG) has been implementing its Strengthening Ghanaian Youth Through Climate Smart Agriculture and Civic Organizing project in Savelugu and Tolon Districts.
They recently launched the Strengthening Ghanaian Youth Through Climate Smart Agriculture and Civic Organizing project at the Tamale Metro Assembly and also held a stakeholders engagement meeting at the Tolon community center under the theme “The Role of Women in Agricultural Development in Ghana.
Madam Abibata Alhassan, a participant at the training, expressed gratitude to Ghana Youth Guide and partners for providing the platform to educate them on how to safeguard the environment and ensure high crop yields.
The project intervention was also to build the capacity of 5 Ghana Youth Guide (GYG) staff, 5 board members, 10 volunteers as well as 50 small-scale farmers (ages between 18-35) with a 60:40 female/male composition and including at least 12 Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Tolon and Savelugu districts in Northern Ghana.
The desired outcome of the training was achieved since 50 small-scale farmers in Tolon and Savelugu between ages 18-35 years, 5 GYG staff, 10 volunteers and 5 board members increased their knowledge and capacity on climate-smart agricultural practices in the training. The target groups gained new knowledge about climate change impacts and adaptation, and local stakeholders’ express acceptance and support for the intervention.
The two days capacitiy building was facilitated by Mr. Alhassan Shani (A development Consultant) and Mr. Basit Zakari (Tolon District Agric Director).
The facilitators, Mr. Alhassan Shani and Mr. Basit Zakari leading the discussion with the small scale farmers
Mr. Basit Zakari, Tolon Director, Department of Agriculture, who facilitated the training, took participants through the required land preparation, scientifically approved seeds, and how farmers could take care of their crops in order to maximize yields. He emphasized on the importance of choosing quality seeds whilst urging farmers to prioritize seeds that were drought resistant. He encouraged farmers to desist from indiscriminate use of agro-chemicals, bush burning, deforestation and water pollution in order to increase food production and address poverty and deprivation.
Mr. Shani Mahama, Industrial Liaison Director for Tamale Technical University, who also double as one of the project consultants who developed the project manual said, climate change had over the years been considered as a development challenge, which required the active participation of all stakeholders to address.
He said “As a country, we need to demonstrate enough commitment to sensitizing our small-scale farmers on best agricultural practices to enhance food security and contribute to the attainment of goal 13 of the Sustainable Development Goals, which called for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts by 2030.
