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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
[email protected] 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.