Sustainable Livelihood Adaptation SLA Project Launched in Builsa South-UE

 A sustainable Livelihood Adaption ALA Project has been launched in Fumbisi in the Builsa District of the Upper East Region. 

The project is aimed at introducing women farmers to improved Integrated Groundnuts Oil Extraction Technologies. 

It is being implemented by LINK Ghana, a Non-Governmental Organization NGO operating in Northern Ghana with funding support   from the Adaptation Fund Project AFP of the United Nations Development Programme UNDP. 

Mr Daniel A  Kansake, said apart from the project launch, it would also conduct improved quality groundnut oil extraction and packaging training for the project beneficiaries, facilitate the registration of groundnut oil extraction groups with the Business Advisory Services BAS and Cooperatives as Business Enterprises. 

He indicated that, the project had among its components to construct functional community oil extraction centers in the beneficiary   communities with ground nut grounding machines, roasters and threshers, facilitate value chain linkages among oil extractors in the areas of marketing  and financial institutions as well as  carry out gender baseline analysis. 

He mentioned that  the project  which would be implemented in   three  communities, namely Gbedema Kunkua, Kasiesa and Gbedembilisi , targeting  2500 women beneficiaries with 50 lead women to  be trained on the new technologies as agents of technology transfers in the District,  may be  up-scaled  in the subsequent years to reach other communities. 

He explained that what informed the decision of LINK Ghana to support the women groups  in the District is that  despite the critical role   women played  in the  groundnut oil  sector, many of them  had limited production technologies, knowledge and skills in producing quality and quantum of oil in a more efficient manner. 

The District Chief Executive of the Builsa South, Mr. Daniel Gariba, lauded the effort of the NGO and the UNDP for selecting the area to implement the project and indicated that it falls in line within the government’s policy of one District, One Factory. 

The Chief of Gbedembilisi,  Nab Atirekpere  Ignatius 111, mentioned that the Builsa South District  was very much endowed with agriculture potentials  such as groundnuts, rice , corn among others but was confronted with the challenges of value added addition and marketing. 

He was hopeful that with the effective implementation of the project, it would help address some of these challenges and called on other development partners to help the District exploit more of its natural resources for the development of the area.
Story by : GBC's Emmanuel Akayeti