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(Damongo) – The Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA GH) in collaboration with the world food programme launched a project dubbed ” Sustainable Livelihood for improved Food Security and Nutrition programme” at Damongo in the West Gonja municipality of the Savannah region on Tuesday 19th October, 2021.
The executive director of the Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency ( SWIDA GH), Hajia Alima Sagito Saeed in a brief address explained that SWIDA Gh, is a women empowerment program where the plight of the woman is in the center stage as far as value chain for food is concern.
Hajia Alima added the programme is women focused programme in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) since women have always been at the center of change when it comes to food and that they have been doing a lot of this on the ground and now decided to skill out the best practices by using the Village savings and loans with already existing organized women groups through which they can impact on them knowledge and, to take them through each of the Value chain agricultural processes by breaking down the processes to the understanding of the women.
She indicated that once the groups get to understand the processes, they can be able to raise what Savannah women integrated development agency is looking for by saving more and to increase their outputs at which point they will now link serious issues of nutrition to it where they can get good productions with the best practices and processes.
This is a pilot project that has been accepted by the women with all seriousness that needs the contribution of all and was designed incollaboration with the world food programme that has existed in other areas with sensitization that seeks to tackle food security and nutrition for sustainable livelihood and resilience against stocks that may be coming their way as women.
Mrs patience Asiedu who spoke on behalf of the World food programme (WFP) explained that the way we produce, process, Transport, consume and how we dispose off our food has an impact on our climate thus, breaking down our food system and also when there is drought and floods, the food that we produce do not yield much and there is banned to be hunger and malnutrition.
The world food programme representative further explained that, the UN has held two conferences already this year to discuss our food systems and climate which are critical to our women and also, there is an upcoming conference on climate change that will connect world leaders to change the way we do things that affect our climate.
She added that in achieving gender equality and empowering women in the midst of this crisis is a critical element in the fight against extreme poverty, hunger and malnutrition.
On average, women make up more than 40% of the agricultural labour force in developing countries ranging from 20% in Latin America to 50% or more in Africa and parts of Asia, yet women headed households have generally been identified to have the least ownership of lands, limited access to resources, lower income levels and to be more food insecured which predisposes our women and girls to inequalities in food and nutrition security and the fact that the covid-19 pandemic could affect their vulnerability, calls for gender responsive interventions for the rural woman who are disproportionally affected, she laments.
Mrs Patience Asiedu added it is well known that when the income of women rises, it turns to invest more in the nutrition, health and education of their families a reason for which the world food programme (WFP) is committed to supporting efficient, resilient and inclusive food systems in Ghana not only to provide good nutrition to the populace, but to improve the livelihoods of actors along the agricultural value chain especially women.
Savannah women integrated Development Agency ( Swida GH ) is a gender and human advocacy organization which aims at contributing to improving the socio-economic lives of the people through access to basic social and economic opportunities and rights with funding from the world food programme (WFP).
They are implementing a project titled ” SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOOD FOR IMPROVED FOOD SECURITY AND NUTRITION” in the Northern and Savannah regions of Ghana with the aim of empowering women farmers to be economically resilient to withstand food and nutrition security shocks through value chain activities in crops, shea plantation and agroforestry as complementary income generating ventures.
It also aims to improve equitable access of women and girls to social services and currently being implemented in six districts; Mion, Savelugu, Nanton, West Gonja, Tolon and Kumbungu.
Present at the launch were representatives from the world food programme, SWIDA Project team members, regional directors of gender, officials from department of agriculture, relevant Regional and District departments, women(VSLA leaders), WIAD officers from participating Districts and CSO/CBO partners.
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