Activity 1.1:Project Management Committee (PMC) formed with a total membership of 8 (2 females / 6 males). Members were drawn from youth groups, People with Disabilities (PWD), land owners, the District Planning Unit, and LINK Ghana with the objective of providing advisory and strategic direction to the project implementation team.

Activity 1.2: Practical training on the aquaponic system (fish-vegetables farming) provided for 25 (8 females / 17 males) farmers from five communities. The training was facilitated by the District Fisheries Department and the Department of Agriculture. Farmers were taken through fish production and management, vegetables production and marketing for both fish and vegetables. The use of waste water generated through the fish production as organic fertilizer for vegetables production as a climate mitigation and adoption strategy was strongly promoted. Farmers were also made to appreciate the link between sustainable fish and vegetable production and land management. This was demonstrated by a 32 female farmer who said;

?If not for this project, I did not know the agrochemicals we use on our farms destroys our lands. Am even surprise to see how it causes climate change?

Activity 1.3: Training on compost preparation and application and best land management practices training conducted for 30 (9 females / 21 males) farmers from 5 communities. Participants were taken through utilization of farm crop residues as resources in making organic compost rather than burning them. Training was facilitated by the Department of Agriculture and LINK Ghana. The training was done on-farm with practical demonstration of how compost could be made at no cost and how it can improve soil fertility and water conservation. 150 hectares of land under sustainable land management production practices
Activity 1.3: Construction of five concrete fish tanks with average dimension of ?20 x 30?. These tanks are Nyamekye Aquaponic, Dosteve Aquaponic, DASS Aquaponic, Cedar Aquaponic and Peter Aquaponic all in the Tain District. The tanks construction was facilitated by LINK Ghana. Each tank had an average size of accommodating 1,000 fingerlings of catfish.
Activity 1.2: Stocking of five tanks with 5,000 catfish fingerlings with 1,000 fingerlings in each tank. Tank system with stagnant water is ideal for catfish and not any other type of fish. With this system, catfish can survive and grow better with good aqua management practices. Catfish are also fast-growing species with potential high local market. As starting stock, an initial 10,000 fingerlings were stocked.
Activity 1.3: Establishment of vegetables fields liked to fish tanks. Attached to each of the five fish tanks constructed, a vegetable farm was established with various vegetable crops such as carrots, green pepper, and onion. Farmers were provided with practical trainings on how to nurse seedlings, transplant and direct vegetables planting. They were taken through vegetable farm management and the aquaponic watering system where the waste water generated from the fish tank is used to water the vegetables farms as source of water and fertilizer. 5 aquaponic systems (fish tanks linked to vegetable farms) established
Activity 3.1: The project identified 5 key focal farmers who served as nucleus farmers with an average of 25 smallholder farmers giving a total of 130 farmers. Each farmer was trained on integrated vegetable-fish farming and land management practices.
Activity 3.2: One pre and post interface meetings among farmers and input and output markets organized. LINK Ghana mapped out local fish and vegetable markets in Tain and Techiman who had interest in buying from producers. Linkages were made through face-to-face meetings and sharing of contact details via the District Aquaponic Platform created by the project.
The training and linkages established has further strengthened the aquaponic value chain in the district. This has also created the interest for the youth to go into the fish farming as an alternative livelihood since the knowledge, skills and market has now been improved. This was seen from the evaluation of the project where a 54-year man stated that:

?Fish -vegetable integrated farming is good for us in this District. It is very nice to farm fish as it has good market especially for, we the women. I can even smoke some of the fish for the family to consume. I will try and start my small fish farm? 130 selected farmers support to invest in aquaponic business
Activity 4.1: A Digital Aquaponic WhatsApp Platform has been formed with 24 (15 males and 9 females) farmers signed onto it. The platform is composed of farmers and stakeholders with the objective accessing business advisory and market opportunities. In addition to the formation of the platform, the platform is also merged onto a district large digital platform to further broaden their business services opportunities. One (1) district level digital platform for business engagements among actors established
? The project commenced with an inception meeting with 15 (3 females / 12 males) Key stakeholders and community model farmers from targeted communities. Farmers came from Badu, Wenchi, Yabraso, Nsawkaw, Abotareye and Degedege communities. Financial institutions (BACCSOD and Nkoranman rural banks), Fisheries Commission, Department of Agriculture Development Unit (DADU), National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI), District Planning Unit (DPU) were relevant stakeholders present in the meeting. Dr. Zachary Pealore took participants through the project concept and its implementation modalities. As a result of the inception meeting, there was a lot of commitment on the side of the farmers and stakeholders as was demonstrated in the implementation process.
? The project also undertook a number of participatory monitoring visits. Basically, in addition to the quarterly monitoring visits provided by LINK Ghana, District Assembly Planning Unit, Fisheries Commission and Farmers, there were also reviews. The reviews were basically to assess the progress of project implementation and general feedback from the Project Management Committee (PMC). The reviews also provided a platform for learning as experiences and challenges were shared.
? Project evaluation and closure meeting organized with 29 participants constituting 21 Farmers from all 5 aquaponic sites and key project stakeholders such as financial institutions, Fisheries Commission, Department of Agriculture Development Unit (DADU), National Board for Small Scale Industries (NBSSI) and the District Planning Unit (DPU). Project well managed


Project Achieved Results
1. Area of landscapes under sustainable land management in production systems (hectares). Out of the 20 hectares planned, 150 hectares (149% increment) are under good soil and water management practices. Farmers have seen the need to reuse their farm residues for compost or plowback rather than burning. Slash and burn as well as using waste water generated from fish farming for vegetable farming as organic fertilizer is being promoted among farmers.
2. Number of direct beneficiaries of SGP intervention achieved was 143 (118 females and 125 males) compared to the planned target of 200 direct beneficiaries. There has been an over achievement of target by 21.5%. This was achieved as a result of the high interest of communities to participate in the project. There was very extensive and in-depth awareness of the project in the district.
3. Development of capacities of organizations (CSOs/CBOs) or people was very crucial under this project. The Federation of Persons with Disability in the Tain district as well as all the aquaponic sites totaling 6 capacities were built. The project leveraged on existing organizations for the aquaponics as learning centers. A total of 143 (118 females and 125 males) people capacities on sustainable land management and integrated fish-vegetable production has been improved.
4. Though the project was not led by women, it directly contributed to equal access to and control of natural resources of women and men. This it achieved by engaging both men and women in all project activities including trainings. Out of a total of 243 project clients, 49% were women.
5. The project improved the participation and decision-making of women in natural resource governance in the very long run. The inclusion of women in the project activities provided capacity for women to understand how and why there is the need for natural resource management. This better puts them in a better position to be able to participate in community and district level decision and governance issues.
6. The project targeted the socio-economic benefits and services for women in the areas of fish marketing and vegetables production and utilization. One of the core objectives of the aquaponic system is to improve incomes levels of smallholder farmers within the aqua and vegetables value chain.

Immediate benefits received by the participants and/or the recipient communities:
1. A total 25 (8 females / 17 males) farmers from five communities received practical training on aquaponic system (fish-vegetables farming).
2. 130 farmers received skills training on integrated vegetable-fish farming and land management practices
3. Thirty [30 (9 females / 21 males)] farmers from 5 communities received training on compost preparation and application and best land management practices. Participants knowledge on compost preparation and application enhanced to support best soil and water conservation management practices.
4. Five concrete aquaponic (fish-vegetables) fish tanks with average size of ?20 x 30? constructed for communities which is being used for economic and learning purposes.
5. Farmers received practical trainings on vegetables seedling nursing, transplanting and direct planting.
6. The district and communities have access to catfish market and Financial institutions (BACCSOD and Nkoranman rural banks) services. CEDAR aquaponic accessed a total amount of GH? 15,000 from Nkoranman rural bank to facilitate production.
7. District level Fish Farmers Association formed and functioning. The association seeks to support members in promoting sustainable aquaponic or fish ? vegetable farming in the district.
8. District level aquaponic WhatsApp Platform has been established and providing fish and vegetables farming business opportunities to members.

Describe long term environment and socio-economic benefits that were achieved by the project:

(1). 150 hectares of farm lands are under sustainable land management in production systems.
Non slash and burn, mulching and composting are land management practices adopted by
communities and farmers. These technologies will improve water and soil fertility as well as
support the eco-system as farmers have seen the need to reuse their farm residues for compost
or plowback rather than burning. Slash and burn as well as using waste water generated from
fish farming for vegetable farming as organic fertilizer will also further enhance the soils.

(2). Improved farm incomes from integrated fish and vegetables production. From a total of 143 (118 females and 125 males) direct beneficiaries with increased knowledge on the aquaponic system and the investment opportunities, there is a high potential for improved incomes.
End of project rapid evaluation shows that the construction of ?20 x 30? concrete tank has an initial cost of GH? 36,200 per aquaponic system. This includes the cost of construction, fish stocking and feeding as presented in figure 1. The total revenue observed is GH? 36,500 with a profit margin of GH? 300. Subsequently the cost dropped with stocking and feeding being the only cost incurred at average cost of GH? 16,200. Similarly, there is a high corresponding revenue of GH? 40,150 in 2024, GH? 44,165 in 2025, GH? 48,581.5 in 2026 and GH? 53,439.65 in 2027.