Nangbagu (N/R), Aug 06, GNA – Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, United States (US) Representative to the United Nations has said that the US Government’s $2.5 million scheduled development assistance in Ghana is to support farmers to increase food production.
She said the US Government was concerned about challenges facing farmers in the country and would be working with them and supporting them to boost food production.
She said this after visiting a maize demonstration farm at Nangbagu in the Sagnarigu Municipality of the Northern Region, on Saturday, to hear from the farmers, particularly women, about their challenges regarding food insecurity.
She also interacted with grains and other foodstuff traders at the Aboabo Market in Tamale to learn about their challenges.
The Ambassador also visited a smock weaving centre in Tamale, which is led by a Mandela Washington Fellow to learn about its operations.
The farmers raised issues of high prices of fertiliser and its shortage on the market, and also climate change related rainfall variability pattern, which are affecting crop yields.
Amb. Thomas-Greenfield said: “We are concerned about that and look forward to working with them and supporting them through United States Agency for International Development (USAID). We just provided 2.5 million dollars to support fertiliser and production in the country.”
On Friday, August 5, USAID announced through a press statement that: “The United States is providing $2.5 million in new development assistance, subject to congressional notification, in Ghana” to intensify efforts to directly mitigate the impacts of growing food insecurity, which has been exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine violent conflict.
The statement explained:“This additional USAID funding in Ghana will focus on developing and marketing inorganic and organic fertiliser products, and to support fertiliser importers and blenders, manufacturers, including private sector partners, to bring more fertiliser into the country and ensure they reach the most vulnerable farmers.”
Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield spoke about the underlying causes of the current food crisis saying: “We know that there are many causes for this food insecurity; COVID-19 clearly is a major cause. Climate change; I am hearing that the rains have come later, but we also know that conflicts, the war in Ukraine has led to a decrease in the availability of fertilisers.
” So, we are hoping to work with this community and other communities across the continent of Africa to help you adjust to and deal with these challenges.”
She called on all partners to work to boost food production saying, “While the US is the largest funder, we need others to step up to the place as well to provide funding so that we can get out of these crises.”
She said: “We hear from many of the other visitors to Africa that the war in Ukraine; it is US sanctions that are causing these crises. And what we believe, and we want you to hear, is that that war has caused its crises. “It is Russia’s… attack on Ukraine blocking Ukrainian grains and fertilizers from getting to the market, and Russia holding back on its own fertilisers” that have caused the crises.
GNA