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Quarter 4 Report FY 2016

FOOD AND

AGRICULTURE

Talensi Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) xxxxx GHANA

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Project overview

The Talensi Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) project tackles seasonal “hunger gaps” – periods of food shortages – that constantly threaten the people of Talensi District in northern Ghana. Low food production and cultural practices contribute to the problem of households’ inability to feed their families.

This project aims to conserve and build natural resources in order to address the underlying problems of soil infertility and land degradation caused by deforestation.

FMNR is a low-cost land restoration technique used to combat poverty and hunger. It helps subsistence farmers increase food and timber production and resilience to climate extremes. In practice, FMNR involves the systematic regrowth and management of trees and shrubs. Felled tree stumps, sprouting root systems or seeds are nurtured to create forest regrowth.

This five-year phase of the project, which spans 2012-2017, is funded by Computershare Australia through World Vision Australia.

Project length: December 2012 – September 2017

The goal of this project is to reduce the annual hunger gap for over 8,400 children and their

families in the Talensi District.

Key project outcomes include:

Ø Improved household food production, availability and use for families in Talensi District.

Ø Improved and diversified household income for families in Talensi District.

Ø Enhanced project quality and management.

Progress and achievements

Outcome progress: Improved household food production, availability and use

Ø FMNR spreads to more communities: There are now 31 communities in the project area

practising FMNR. Each community has 20 lead farmers who champion FMNR amongst their

neighbours. During this quarter, 140 lead farmers from seven communities were trained on natural

resource management, covering tree pruning and protection, and protection of water sources and

farmland.

Talensi

Front cover: Community members have been trained as fire stewards to lead their communities in preventing bushfires. Photo: Nicholas Ralph/World Vision

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Ø As the success of FMNR spreads throughout the

project area, more communities are

spontaneously adopting FMNR practices without

prompting from project staff. In the

Yandankorug community, the “Queen Mother”

(female leader) invited farmers from a

neighbouring community who were already

practising FMNR to come and train local women

how to prune and nurture trees. She then asked

project staff to come and check on the women’s

progress and support them to expand their

FMNR activities.

Ø Acacia seedlings planted on farms: 2,500 Australian Acacia seedlings grown in six communal

nurseries were distributed amongst 210 farmers to plant on their own land. Australian Acacias have

edible seeds so it’s expected that they will provide families in Talensi with an alternative food source

during the driest times of year.

Ø Improving nutrition with sweet potato: Orange Flesh Sweet Potato is a biofortified vegetable

high in nutrition, especially vitamin A, which is essential for healthy human growth and development.

The project trained 460 farmers how to grow sweet potato and distributed 160,000 sweet potato

cuttings for them to plant on their farms. It is hoped that this will boost nutrition for children in the

area and also increase farmer incomes when they have excess produce to sell.

Ø Preventing soybean crop loss: Farmers in the project area like to grow soybeans, but struggle to

find success using traditional seed varieties where the bean pods tend to shatter before harvest time.

To help improve soybean cultivation, the project acquired an improved soybean variety which doesn’t

shatter called “Jangumah”, which aptly means “I will wait for you”. After multiplying the new seed

variety, the project has provided 100 farmers from 10 communites with 2kg of seed to plant on their

farms.

Ø Stewards trained to prevent

bushfire: Bushfires are a major

contributor to environmental

degradation in the project area.

During this quarter, the project

collaborated with the Ghana National

Fire Service to train 180 fire stewards

from nine communities. This training

equipped them to fight and prevent

bushfires. The fire stewards were

also provided with fire-fighting

equipment including long knives,

boots, gloves and t-shirts. They are

now ready to lead their communities

in establishing fire breaks over the

coming months.

“We know after birth is death and what is important is what we leave behind for posterity. Protection of the site and pruning of the shrubs to grow to trees is the legacy I want to leave behind for generations no yet born to remember me.”

– Queen Mother, Yandankorug community

Fire stewards take part in fire prevention training conducted

by the Ghana National Fire Service.

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Clubs inspire kids to care for their environment

To spread awareness and information about environmental protection throughout the area, the project has helped to form and support environment clubs in eight schools in Talensi District.

Club members take part in a range of activities including tree planting, school clean ups, and environmental talks and quizzes.

The club at one primary school has adopted the following saying as its motto: “When the last

tree dies, the last man also dies.”

After training earlier this year, club members initiated story-telling sessions with environmental themes. They also weeded their school compound and have used the cleared area to start growing soybeans.

Another club formed small groups to go out into the community and talk to people about fire prevention.

A recent review of the environment clubs revealed that they are proving quite useful in

engaging children and youth in environmental conservation in their communities.

Outcome progress: Improved and diversified household income

Ø New savings groups formed: During this quarter, eight new savings groups were formed in three

communities, bringing the total number of groups formed since 2013 to 180. The new groups have

232 members in total and they commenced saving after completing training. These groups have also

been provided with resources including moneyboxes, locks, passbooks, stamps and notebooks.

Ø Funds mature for 22 savings groups: 22 savings groups from 11 communities have paid out

shares to their members on completion of their savings cycle. Group members received all their

contributions back, plus interest earned on loans taken out by other group members during the

savings cycle. In total, the groups accrued savings of about $57,200, which was distributed amongst

554 group members in total. Group members were full of joy on receiving their shares and praised

Environment club members and their teachers weed the soybean crop they planted in their schoolyard.

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the savings group concept, which enables them to accumulate funds to cover their children’s needs

including health insurance, school fees and clothing.

Ø Farmers receive breeding goats: 50

farmers who do not own livestock have

been supplied with two female breeding

goats each. The goats have been vaccinated

and the farmers trained in animal husbandry

so they can ensure their animals stay

healthy. As FMNR practices spread, so has

the availability of animal forage, providing

farmers with plenty of food for their goats.

In rural communities, owning goats is like

having an insurance policy against drought

and other environmental setbacks because

they can be sold for income.

Thank you for your support

Thank you for supporting the Talensi Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration Project. Your generous

support is helping to reduce the annual hunger gap for over 8,400 children and their families in Ghana’s

Talensi District.

World Vision Australia Tel: 13 32 40

corporate.enquiry@worldvision.com.au or your World Vision representative

Contact information

Talensi farmers show off their new breeding goats, which will help provide their families with a sustainable

source of food and income.