Ghana – Southern Horticulture Zones Project

Improving the Standards of living for Ghanian Farmers

ACDI/VOCA has won a 2-year, $3 million project funded by the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Ghana in the country’s southern horticulture zone. The project improves the productivity of agriculture, increases production of high-value commercial and basic food crops, and fosters greater private investment in agriculture. The project is part of a $547 million compact signed by the Millennium Challenge Corporation with the Republic of Ghana in 2006.

The ACDI/VOCA-led southern region implementation contract is part of the broader Commercial Development of Farmer-Based Organizations (CDFO) initiative. The CDFO initiative prepares farmer-based organizations (FBOs) for commercialization and value-added activity by

• helping the smallholder FBOs improve their business and technical skills
• reducing the risk associated with weather failure and post-harvest losses by meeting the irrigation and post-harvest infrastructure needs of smallholder farmers to facilitate their farm business operations
• providing them with access to needed financial resources
• helping the smallholder farmers to be competitive and have improved access to national, regional and international markets by removing transportation constraints
• improving social services in rural communities—including educational facilities, water and sanitation—to attract agricultural investment

ACDI/VOCA’s objective is to support FBOs through a market-driven, value chain-based approach that supports the achievement of Compact targets. To reach this objective, ACDI/VOCA will prioritize agricultural activities that are commercially viable, have significant potential for upgrading and could have a positive impact on large numbers of farm households in the southern districts. ACDI/VOCA will also promote cooperation with other agriculture project components and development partners.

For more information contact Penelope Hucker at pbhucker@acdivoca.org.

Updated: 9/08

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