Nyansabga: A strategic partnership between the World Food Programme (WFP) and the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Ghana) is transforming degraded lands into productive farms in Nyansabga, a farming community in the Karaga District of Ghana's Northern Region. The initiative, launched last year under the project titled Empowering Livelihoods and Building Community Resilience to Climate Shocks, benefits more than 100 women, adolescent girls, and young men in the area.
According to Ghana News Agency, the project is being implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and supported by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of Australia. A climate-smart demonstration farm has been established as part of the project, showcasing sustainable agricultural practices. These include planting economic trees like mango, baobab, and moringa, alongside vegetables such as tomatoes, okro, and pepper.
Hajia Alima Sagito Saeed, Executive Director of SWIDA-Ghana, emphasized the project's aim to empower women by adopting climate-smart agricultural methods and replicating these practices on other degraded lands. She highlighted the initiative's goal of reclaiming and restoring lands while helping women, especially young girls, create sustainable assets. Hajia Sagito Saeed also called for sustainable power solutions, like solar energy, to ensure year-round farming and address poverty and deprivation.
Mr. Musah Abdul-Samed, Agriculture Officer for the project, explained that the initiative employs climate-resilient techniques such as soil conservation and a mechanized borehole for year-round farming. Six experimental fishponds have been established, each stocked with 250 fingerlings, to diversify livelihoods and improve future nutrition. The project also uses furrow irrigation technology, utilizing drained water from fishponds to maintain farm productivity during drought.
Madam Suweiba Abukari, leader of the women in Nyansabga, noted that farm proceeds have improved nutritional needs and provided financial support to participating households. The women have established village savings and loans schemes, enhancing their economic independence. Another beneficiary, Madam Memunatu Alhassan, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to successfully operate a fishpond, benefiting children's nutrition.
Observations by Ghana News Agency revealed stunted crops on nearby farms compared to the lush demonstration farm, highlighting the importance of climate-resilient practices for sustainable agriculture. The project is expected to serve as a model for reclaiming degraded lands and building resilience against climate shocks in northern Ghana.
