NEWS

OVER 3,000 FARMERS BENEFIT FROM CSLD SUPPORT IN THE NORTHERN REGION.

A Non Governmental Organization based in Tamale, Center for Sustainable Local Development (CSLD) has provided various kinds of support to over 3,000 farmers in the Northern Region.

In a press statement signed and issued to some selected media houses in Tamale the Northern regional capital, the Programme Coordinator of CSLD, Abdul-Rahman Awal stated that his outfit is a Technical Training Service Provider (TTSP) under the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) Project and is committed to supporting the Agricultural Commercialization drive of the Ghana Government and the Government of the United States of America. He stated that since 2008, his outfit has with the support of MiDA and International Centre for Soil Fertility and Agricultural Development (IFDC) built the capacity of 44 Farmer Based Organizations (FBOs) with about 1,956 members in organizational capacity building, business development and crop productivity improvement in the Karaga District alone.

The farmers have also been supplied with additional inputs including 3,123 bags of NPK, 1,566 bags of Ammonia 1,532 and improved seeds comprising 150 mini bags of maize, 189 mini bags of groundnuts, 34 mini bags of soybeans and 14 mini bags, 1,956 nose mask and 1,532 wellington boots to promote health and safety on the fields.

Mr. Abdul Rahman revealed that CSLD has made tremendous achievements within its 3 years of existence and that ‘‘CSLD in 2010 cropping season has collaboration with MiDA and IFDC to establish 15 on farm demonstration sites in the Karaga, Savelugu/Nanton, Tolon/Kumbungu, Tamale Metropolis and West Mamprusi Districts to facilitate agricultural technology transfer and adoption’’.  Approximately 3,000 farmers would have benefitted through participation in Farmer Field Schools and Field Days. 5 Value Chain Demonstration Centres will also be established in the 5 districts to facilitate the value chain linkages. Through the Value Chain Demonstration Centres, CSLD will link a further 60 FBOs in various communities in the Savelugu/Nanton, Tolon/Kumbungu, Tamale Metropolis and West Mamprusi Districts of the Northern Region by August 2011.

Mr. Abdul-Rahman Awal revealed that a CSLD farmer, Mr. Samuel Mahamadu won the Northern Regional best farmer award for 2009. He commented Mr. Mahamadu for making good use of the technical support from CSLD and its partners and for making the organization proud.

According to him ‘‘CSLD’s approach is to build a strong network of partners both locally and internationally who share the core value of supporting the processes of change and transformation in the most deprived parts of Northern Ghana. He intimated that his outfit seeks to build the capacity of local communities, institutions and organizations to be able to initiate, manage and sustain their own development projects.

On his part the project officer, Mr David Konlan in an interview said in the fulfilment of their goal and objectives, CSLD supports 10 women groups in income generation activities including improved indigenous shea-nut and rice processing. He praised the founder of the organization, Mr. Alex Bokuma for his vision and for opening up a new office in Wa in the Upper West Region.

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