A day’s stakeholder engagement on Resilience Against Climate Change (REACH) Project has been held in Wa in the Upper West Region.
The REACH Project fundamentally seeks to address the consequences of climate change and environmental degradation on rural livelihoods in the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone.
The project hinges on a gender-sensitive approach in helping communities to adopt and sustain climate-smart agricultural practices.
The stakeholder engagement was to update key partners on the implementation of the REACH project as well as stimulate further conversation for improved relations and coherent execution of the project.
A Senior Management Advisor of the Resilience Against Climate Change (REACH), Paul Symonds represented the Project Manager for EU-REACH, Dr Jasmin Marston at the opening ceremony.
Mr Paul Symonds who made a presentation, threw light on the REACH project, saying it is not a stand-alone initiative.
He stated: “REACH is not a stand-alone Project but one part of the European Union Ghana Agriculture Programme, EUGAP that has been in operation since 2017.
REACH started in January 2019 and will run until 2024. It is being implemented on behalf of the EU by GIZ/Competitive Cashew Initiative (ComCashew) with additional funding from the German Government.”
The Upper West Regional Coordinating Director, Gilbert Nuuri-Teg commended the European Union and GIZ for their exemplary role in mitigating climate change in the country through the Resilience Against Climate Change (REACH) project.
Mr. Nuuri-Teg recalled the inauguration of the Tree Crops Development Authority by President Akufo-Addo on 29th September, 2020 and said the move among others will help promote sustainable practices in the agric sector.
“I strongly believe that, the establishment of the authority, coupled with efforts of stakeholders and partners like REACH will certainly help diversify and promote best and sustainable practices in the agricultural sector, thereby impacting positively on the incomes of farmers. Ghana as a whole, and the Upper West Region in particular, stands to benefit from such interventions with 80% of its population engaging on agriculture,” he emphasized.
The Regional Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of MOFA, Madam Rita Mumuni observed that the agriculture sector is one of the sectors which is most vulnerable to climate change, with significant impacts on agricultural yields, post-harvest losses and food security, saying there was the need to connect agriculture investments to climate adaptation and mitigations activities.
She continued that the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Department of Agriculture have been carrying out projects and programmes that are geared towards mitigating the effect of climate change on agricultural production.
Madam Mumuni mentioned the Sustainable Land and Water Management Project (SLWMP) which has been implemented since 2011 in four Districts in Upper West for carrying out what she termed “some monumental activities” including educating farmers through trainings, demonstrations, tree planting, field days, and farmers’ field schools.
Madam Mumuni mentioned the Sustainable Land and Water Management Project (SLWMP) which has been implemented since 2011 in four Districts in Upper West for carrying out what she termed “some monumental activities” and gave an assurance for further cooperation on the REACH project.
The project is equally assisting District Planning Coordinating Units (DPCUs) in the development of environmentally sound Medium Term Development Plans that contribute to the realization of Ghana’s international commitment to the Paris Agreement on the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions.
Story filed by: Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo
