A project geared at empowering rural women to boost their efforts at producing high quality guinea fowls has been launched at Yua in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality of the Upper East Region.
The GH¢29,000.00 one year project being implemented by the Ghana Poultry Network (GAPNET), a Non- Governmental Organization and would benefit 20 women from Yua and Sirigu in the Kassena-Nankana West District.
The project dubbed “empowering women and the youth through enhanced guinea fowl production and health in northern Ghana”, is being funded with a mini-grant from the Institute for African Development of Cornell University, New York, USA.
The initiative among other things would give each of the beneficiaries 25 keets, that is young guinea fowls below 12 weeks old, and equip them with proper breeding techniques in order to address mortality among the keets and to increase productivity and health.
Apart from providing the beneficiaries with vaccines against diseases such as Newcastle Disease, the project would facilitate the construction of decent houses for the guinea fowls.
Speaking at the launch, Ms Mary-Clair Agamba, the Women’s Advisor, GAPNET, who spoke on behalf of Ms Gloria Essel, the Project Coordinator said the overall goal of the project is to increase guinea fowl productivity in the selected communities.
She said the project seeks to address food insecurity issues, reduce poverty, and ensure financial independent among rural women, gender parity and help achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) particularly goals one, two and five.
“A holistic approach will be used in the implementation of the project where direct beneficiaries will be required to plant moringa and acacia trees and other trees to supplement feeding sources for the guinea fowls,” she said.
“The project will require going back to our roots for the use of termites as feed source for guinea fowls.”
Mrs Agamba explained that the potentials of guinea fowl production towards empowering households and socioeconomic development was huge and added that the project would build the capacities of the beneficiaries to improve the health and production of the guinea fowls.
Ms Agnes Benyimse, the leader in charge of women’s wing Yua and Sirigu Guinea Fowl Association, a beneficiary group, expressed gratitude to the GAPNET and the donor partner, adding that the project would help boost their guinea fowl business.
Ms Benyimse said apart from the food and nutritional benefits the project would further empower the women to be financially secure to support their homes and children’s education.
“As much as we will be extending the support among ourselves, we would also appeal for possible extension of this support to our neighbouring communities such as Natugnia, Manyoro, Mirigu and Kandiga to enable them to also benefit,” she said.
Mr Stephen Azuure Anyanne, the President of Yua and Sirigu Guinea Fowl Production Association, appealed to the GAPNET and the Cornell University to extend the support to cover education and water to help address some development issues in the areas.
Matured guinea fowls in the region cost between GH¢30.00 and GH¢50.00, depending on the size.
Source:Fiilafmonline/GNA
