AGRICULTURE

MSR launches $6million USD Grant to promote inclusive agric growth in northern Ghana
The Ghana Market Systems and Resilience (MSR) Activity held a roadshow to launch a $6 million USD Grants to make potential beneficiaries aware of the grant, the processes and brief them on the modalities to make an individual or organization viable for the grant.

Date Created : 12/13/2022 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : Dominic Shirimori/Ghanadistricts.com

The $35.9 million USD USAID support program spanning a period of 5years from April 2022 - March 2027 and being implemented in four regions in the northern part of Ghana including Northern, North East, Upper East and Upper West Regions is aimed at creating an inclusive agriculture-led economic growth in northern Ghana with the support of a $6million USD for various industry and service providers.

This, MSR hopes to achieve by:
• Strengthening supply chain relationships among producers, buyers, traders, and service providers, building upon market-based incentives to encourage farmers and other market actors to adopt improved climate-smart agriculture practices.
• Encouraging private sector growth to drive employment and innovative solutions; strengthen public-private service delivery systems and accountability
• Facilitate the application of innovative technologies in the business service market to increase the market entry of women, youth and the disabled by improving market information flow among others
• Facilitate a demand-driven process to identify local priorities and co-developing evidence-based policy with local partner universities and think-thanks, as well as facilitating government-private sector coordination while developing and implementing policy reforms in districts and communities throughout the Activity implementing areas.

The program covers 17 districts spread across these 4 regions with Yendi, Mion, Karaga, Gushegu, Nanton, Sagnarigu, East Mamprusi, Mamprugu Moagduri, Bawku, Garu, Tempani, Nadowli Kaleo, Wa East, Daffiama Bussie Issah, Sissala East, Sissala West, and Bawku West as the beneficiary districts.

Mr. Eric Sunu MEL/CLA Director who stood in for the Chief of Party/MSR Activity explained that MSR is structured and targeted around 10 commodities and counting - Mango, Bambara beans, okro, moringa, groundnuts, onion, shea, maize, soya beans, tomatoes, pepper, and cowpea that provides room for the participation of the vulnerable groups in northern Ghana to ensure such persons experience economic growth.

This agriculture support program/activity, he said focuses on smallholder farmers and provides all forms of supports from production to harvesting, storage, value addition and marketing.

According to him, the reason behind having the roadshow outside the for regions of influence is that there are players outside the four stated regions but their activities by way of services they provide directly impact the farmers and agro-processors in the region hence the need to ensure they are made aware to help them serve the people better.

Mr. Eric Sunu also told participants that MSR is targeting 200, 000 individuals in food security programming but advised that 50 percent of this should be women based while 30 percent should include the youth and disabled. This, he noted present a better opportunity to access the grant.
Meanwhile, Mr. Sunu has advised potential beneficiaries to visit https://www.acdivocaghana.org for the form

Overview of Activity

Feed the Future Ghana Market Systems and Resilience (MSR) Activity is designed to increase inclusive agriculture-led economic growth in northern Ghana. It focuses on strengthening commercial relationships between market actors comprising smallholder farmers, producers, processors, buyers, input suppliers and businesses with the aim of improving the rural entrepreneurship ecosystem to enable greater market participation, particularly for women and youth.

It is tailored towards expanding the availability of agribusiness services and linking targeted policy initiatives to improve focal economic governance through competitive, stronger and more resilient markets.

This is achieved by supporting and empowering households, communities and business to predict, prepare for, withstand, and recover from shocks in the agricultural market systems.

Objectives
The program/activity hinges on four main objectives which are to
• Increase commer cialization and profitability of agriculture markets.
• Increase institutional capacity of market actors.
• Improve market access and quality of business services.
• Improve the enabling environment for local actors.

The program being implemented by ACDI/VOCA with partners such as ACDEP, J.E Austin, Dimagi, Densu, KIC, and MBC Africa looks forward to
• Increased participation of 200, 000 individuals in food security programming.

• Improved application of management practices technologies for at least 200, 000 individuals.

• Increase value of producers’ and firms’ annual sales by a minimum of $183,000,000.

• Improved accessibility of at least $18,500,000 worth of agriculture-related financing.

• Enhanced enabling environment through national and district policy development, implementation, compliance, and enforcement.