Image: Jason Florio/United Purpose
Meet 52-year-old Adams Alhassan. He’s a smallholder farmer in Brong Ahafo, a region in south Ghana. This region is known as the ‘food basket’ of Ghana, and you can see why from the lush green landscape and thriving marketplaces. Agriculture is the main source of livelihood for nearly 80% of rural households in this part of Ghana - but rural communities are being challenged by the threats of climate change.
Adams has worked in farming for over 30 years and has a family of nine people to support. Over the past five years, changes in the weather have negatively affected his farming business and he has earned less money as a result.
However, training he received as part of our EU-funded project on improving farmers’ livelihoods, skills and climate resilience has turned his business around. The training focused on soil management and climate-smart agricultural practices.
“I am overwhelmed with the results,” Adams tells us. “With the use of improved seeds and climate-smart farming practices, I have increased my yield. This has boosted my income, which enables me to cater for my household needs.”
Adams is just one of 500 smallholders we have worked with, to increase resilience and irrigation management. As part of this project, we are also training 3,000 entrepreneurs in farm management and business development - the majority of whom are women.