By: Haruna Kuyateh
United Purpose (UP) and Global Climate Change Alliance (GCCA) West Africa has trained farmers on climate smart and value chain funded by European Union through Expertise France to impressed the project on Innovation for Climate Smart Agriculture at smallholder’s scale in West Africa GCCA + WEST AFRICA.
The project will introduce appropriate Climate Techniques and technologies to smallholders, family farmers and processors and developing business model that will enable them to produce more crops and build resilience against the sweeping climate change impacts. The project is implemented by Practical Action Consulting PAC, Jokalante and Njawara Agricultural Training Centre.
Lamin Manjang, Project Officer of United Purpose Global Climate Change Alliance GCCA West Africa said the project aimed to enhance sustainable increase resilient to address effect of climate change and enhance capacity of local processors, input dealers, transporters and business community.
“The capacity development of key stakeholders would help to accelerate food production and productivity. The project target United Purpose work with farmers to help improve the stability of their income and earn decent living for their families. And it targets 700 smallholders’ farmers to boost resilience building whilst 8000 tailored messages through mobile phones radio recordings on weather forecast, market demand, for agricultural products, availability of improved technologies.
He explained that “this proposed action will therefore help the most climate-vulnerable farmers in NBR to get access to low carbon technologies adapted to climatic changes and build their capacity to turn agriculture into a business, provide access to appropriate techniques and technologies and improve their climate resilience. 8,000 smallholder farmers and processors will be empowered with information about climate-smart agricultural extension through accessible ICT tools. Such services include interactive radio broadcasts or voice messaging with the possibility to ask questions and give feedback without any costs to the user.”
Mama Manneh, Executive Director of Njawara Agricultural Training Centre has underscored the significant of strengthening capacity of actors to facilitate active participation on the implementation of EU 18 months’ project.
Burang Danjo and Ousman Jammeh lead consultant called on farmers to be proactive and expressed the need for establishment of NBR Vegetables Marketing platform that will enable farmers to have access to inputs and marketing of vegetable.
