A major funding boost for agriculture in Ghana aims to promote climate change adaptation and better link smallholder farmers to markets.

An article in Modern Ghana reports that the Government of the Republic of Ghana and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) signed a US$36.6 million loan and $10 million grant agreement to finance the Ghana Agricultural Sector Investment Programme (GASIP).

Among other activities, the new programme will promote agroforestry and conservation agriculture to enhance productivity, climate resilience and environmental sustainability of production systems. It is designed to build and strengthen business relationships that enhance growth. The programme will help 12,000 rural households, particularly women and young people, to improve their economic activities and livelihoods.

“We are bringing together climate change resilience with smart marketing approaches to strengthen each part of the value chain, which in turn ensures more profits for small farmers,” said Michel Mordasini, Vice President of IFAD. “Programmes such as these create a favourable environment for smallholder farmers, particularly for women and youth, to engage in profitable agriculture businesses.”

Read the full story: Ghana receives IFAD financing to help smallholder farmers boost agricultural production and transformation