GhIH Horticulture and Animal Production Improve Farm Income and Address Gender Equality in Northern Ghana Dr. M. R. McDonald1, Mr. A.-H. Abubakari2, Dr. J. Baah3, Mr. P. Kumah4, Mrs. I. A. Idun4, Mr. G. Mahunu2, Dr. K. Oppong-Anane5, Dr. M. Pritchard6, and Dr. S. L. Scott7 1University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada; 2University for Development Studies, Tamale, NR, Ghana; 3Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lethbridge, AB, Canada; 4Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, AR, Ghana; 5Oporhu Agricultural and Rural Development Consultancy Ltd., Cantonments, GAR, Ghana; 6University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada; 7Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Brandon, MB, Canada Introduction Collaborative project In the Northern Region (NR) and Upper West Region (UWR) of Ghana, rural communities face many challenges: Low agricultural productivity and limited water Low household income and lack of food security Poor nutrition and health Migration of young people to urban areas in south Culturally-entrenched gender inequality Current activities: Introduction of small ruminant production to vegetable growers in the GhIH project Introduction of dry-season vegetable production to shea butter and small ruminant producers in the GSAP project Baseline study for a new initiative in integrated aquaculture agriculture production in two GhIH and two GSAP project communities Exchange program with an extension project in Tanzania Future activities: Improved marketing of products Integration of aquaculture at beneficiary village sites to enhance food security Introduction of dairy goats to all communities Holding a GhIH-GSAP joint AGM Objectives Figure 1. The GhIH, GSAP and AIC team in February, 2010 Figure 4. Improved small ruminant production To counter these challenges, Canadian-Ghanaian agricultural partnerships were developed between: Canadian Society for Horticultural Science (CSHS) and Ghana Institute of Horticulturists (GhIH) Canadian Society of Animal Science (CSAS) and the Ghana Society of Animal Production (GSAP) Individual projects Conclusions CSHS-GhIH (initiated in 2001): Focus on improving household income and food security through dry-season vegetable production Activities include: Fencing gardens, building wells and improving access to vegetable seeds Collaborating with extension agents to develop sustainable production strategies, hold farmer field schools and train the trainer workshops, with emphasis on women’s participation Increasing GhIH’s national visibility by encouraging the participation of women and by mentoring tertiary students in horticulture CSAS-GSAP (initiated in 2003): Focus on improving household income and food security through helping women’s groups to develop integrated shea nut-animal production systems Provision of gloves and boots for protection of women from snake bites while collecting shea nuts Provision of microcredit loans for petty trading Enhancement of gender equity and organizational capacity of GSAP Partnerships between agricultural scientific societies in Ghana and Canada have led to production of more nutritious food, higher family incomes, greater gender equality and vibrant, visible scientific societies Photo courtesy J. Owen Figure 2. Women with harvest from irrigated dry season vegetable production in GhIH project Figure 5. Fish pond for integrated aquaculture production in Carpenter, NR References Agricultural Institute of Canada’ International Twinning Partnership Program (AIC ITPP): Strengthen the Impact of Horticulture on Social Development in Ghana www.aic.ca/international/itpp_project.cfm?id=37 AIC ITPP: Integrated Crop and Livestock Production in Northern Ghana www.aic.ca/international/itpp_project.cfm?id=38 Acknowledgements Agricultural Institute of Canada’s International Twinning Partnership Program Financial support from the Government of Canada provided through the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) Fish for Africa Figure 6. Irrigated vegetable production in integrated aquaculture agriculture system in Carpenter, NR Figure 3. Women with conserved forage in GSAP project Mary Ruth McDonald, Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1 Canada. Phone: (519) 824-4120 x.52791; Fax: (519) 763-8933; E-mail: mrmcdona@uoguelph.ca