Accra, March 06, GNA – A three-week refresher training on improving women’s roles in integrated water and land management for sustainable food and nutrition security in peri-urban Ghana has been held for professionals from the Ghanaian and Nigerian government sectors.
The workshop was organized by the Department of Real Estate and Land Management at SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS) in Wa and the Institute for Housing and Development Studies (IHS).
NUFFIC received funding from the Nerthalian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support the organizing institutions.
Mr Jeroen Verheul, Dutch Ambassador to Ghana, addressed participants at the closeout session in Accra, and urged effective collaboration among experts in food security, land and water management, and agriculture to ensure adequate food production and supply to Ghana and the West African Region.
He stated that the link between food production, water, and land resources continued to receive significant attention because the population in parts of Africa was rapidly increasing while food production was declining.
However, he stated that there were opportunities for water resource professionals to contribute to food security conservation and develop solutions that improved the future outlook.
Madam Charmae Pyl Wissin-Nercua, Land and Housing Development Strategies Specialist at IHS, described the course as an innovative one designed to develop human and institutional capacities to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in cities.
It was also to advocate the integration of knowledge and skills to equip participants with inter-disciplinary approaches to build sustainable and inclusive neighbourhoods.
Dr Kennedy Alatinga, Dean of the Faculty of Planning and Land Management at UBIDS, Wa, urged participants to examine the broader issues of water and land management, as well as climate change, to achieve sustainable food and nutrition security in peri-urban areas.
He stated that the organizers hope to form a long-term partnership that will include guest lecturing and student exchange programs in order to advance knowledge sharing and mutual benefits.
During the session, a group of ten men and ten women conducted a survey in the Ashaiman Municipality, a farming area where many women work in agriculture.
The cross-cutting challenges identified by the participants’ survey’ were that, “there is a lack of interest and engagement of the youth in farming, a lack of affordable technology, manpower limitations to improve land regulations, and irrigation dam pollution.”
The recommendations were as follows: “There should be gender inclusive policies that recognize and empower women, mass sensitization on environmental issues, and support for community members to build their own household toilet facilities to prevent dam pollution.”
“Agricultural Extension Officers should make capacity building training programs a quarterly affair for frequent engagement.”
Participants were awarded certificates of completion for the refresher course on strengthening women’s roles in integrated water and land management for sustainable food and nutrition security in peri-urban Ghana.
GNA