Activities Planned and executed under First Disbursement

1. Project Launching
The project was launched at the district capital together with Alliance for community Development. This collaboration was to coincide with the working visit of the National Coordinator and Country Director of UNDP/GEF/SGP. Other dignitaries that were present at the meeting were the Banda district chief executive, staff members from the district agric directorate, Ghana National Fire Service and the district forestry division. The various dignitaries took turns to address the participants. The Hon. DCE recounted how her district has been suffering from lack of developmental projects and basic logistics to for the various departments and agencies to work with effectively. These she said have really resulted in the retarded development. She thanked GEF for the financial support and added that that would go a long way to improve on the knowledge f the farmers for improved production. She encouraged the women in the project to actively participate and not to always rely on the men who sometimes neglect them for other ladies especially when cashew is in season. She also requested that the GEF Country Director and National Coordinator to help them get a weekly market centre in the district capital as the members in the district organize market activities once a year when pupils are about to have “Our Day”. She also requested for an irrigation facility to help the famers to cultivate crops all year long.
The NC was pleased with the enthusiasm shown by the participants and encouraged them to carry it throughout the project and even afterwards. He asked them to practice whatever they would be taught and also adopt the best practices that would protect the environment.
The CD acknowledged their good efforts in providing food for the people. He beseeched them to keep on with their hard as it their source of livelihoods. He pledged to use his high office to provide a funding opportunity for women to venture into groundnut production. Also, the requests of the Hon. DCE for an irrigation facility and establishment of a weekly market centre shall be considered and a favourable feedback would soon be given. The district agric director also advised the farmers to take their farming as a business enterprise and always aim at getting the best results. He again asked them to use the Agric Extension Agents for technical guidance.

2. Conduct community assessment with local farmers

Though the approval of the major stakeholders was sought prior to the submission of the proposal, a community assessment was conducted with the local farmers. Some farmers and major stakeholders were met and a meeting was held. Some questions were put together to quid the line of discussions. Also, oral interviews were conducted to get the views of the stakeholders. The Executive Director and the Programmes Coordinator led the deliberation. The focus was to discuss the content of the project proposal and also look at the implementation strategies vis-à-vis the possible challenges.
It was also agreed that Tuesdays and Fridays are sacred days set aside in the communities and therefore it was appropriate to hold major meetings and workshops on Tuesdays Fridays.

3. Conduct advocacy/awareness raising workshop in the Dompofie and Saase communities

A community awareness creation workshop was held at Dompofie. Community members were invited using the town crier to that awareness creation workshop. The Project Coordinator led the discussion on the recent changes in climate. The farmers admitted that the climate is different than when they were kids, and it is changing more rapidly than ever before. They spoke about some rapid changes in the climate such as prolonged drought periods, regular flooding, and extinction of some species, among others as some of the recent changes they have seen in the environment. It was also discussed that climate change is caused by interplay of factors which can be classified as natural and man-made. The bad farming practices such as constant bush burning, deforestation, sand wining and over application of agrochemicals are some of the ways through which humankind contribute to climate change. They were advised on the need to plant trees and avoid illegal chain saw activities as trees act as a carbon sink. That is, they take carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, store the carbon and release the oxygen. The burning of these trees releases age-old carbon dioxide that has been hidden away for millions of years. The carbon cycle is unable to remove this extra CO2 from the atmosphere and so this greenhouse gas is warming the planet. Farmers were advised to plant trees on degraded lands and also avoid the annual bushfires that occur in the district.

4. Formation of Project Execution Team (PET)

On the day of launching the project, seven members were selected to form the PET. They were later invited for a day’s training on the project projects and how they can help to ensure successful project implementation. The membership comprised farmers, the district forest division, opinion leaders, agric directorate, GNFS, district assembly and the M&E officer of SAHUF.

5. Capacity building Workshops

Three separate capacity building workshops were carried out in the first quarter. The first workshop was on Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA). Mr. Bia Williams the Banda district director of agriculture gave the presentation. His presentation touched on the meaning, causes, effects and mitigation measures on climate change. Some of the causes that were discussed include bush fires, charcoal production, deforestation, bad farming practices, improper application of agrochemicals, etc. the effects were discussed under three subheadings; agriculture, health and environment. Participants were advised to use some of the following measures to help curb the climate change menace planting of trees, avoiding bushfires, adopting good farming practices such as mixed farming, mulching, fallowing etc, water harvesting and planting resistant/high yielding crop varieties.
The second workshop was on Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs). The senior extension supervisor Mr. Bernard Bontuo was the facilitator. Among the things he educated famers on were row planting, crop rotation, regular diseases and pests control, timely weed control, intercropping, contour planting/planting along slopes and the use of improved varieties.
The third workshop was on the fall armyworm on maize. This pest has been a major problem to the nation and the district in particular. The farmers were taken through the description of the fall armyworm, how to identify the worm at the early stage, the recommended pesticides and their rates of applications.
6. Project monitoring and management
Aside the monitoring done by the M&E officer, the PET also met to discuss the challenges faced and successes chalked. It was realized that not all the participants who attended training workshops were interested in the susu scheme. The project coordinator was advised to concentrate on those who had shown interest. The proposed 12 months period for sharing was reduced to 6 months.

7. Establish community nursery

11 members were selected to form the nursery management committee. The committee members were given basic information on the raising of tree nurseries. Their trainings were done by the deputy district manager of forest services division. They were taken through factors to consider in selecting a nursery site such as nearness to source of water, type of soil, accessibility, topography and proximity to the house.

8. Plant Trees

It was agreed in the meeting that members will plant economic trees in around their houses. Community members were allowed to agree on their choice. Members agreed on mango and cashew trees and a nursery was done for that activity. As an on-going activity member has started planting the trees around their houses. This is going to support them protect the trees from animals and other threats.
9. Establishment of village saving scheme
At the moment, 72 farmers have been trained and enrolled on the village susu savings scheme. The training sessions equipped beneficiaries with savings skills and financial discipline. Members have formed three groups and were guided to appoint leaders. Each group has a chairman, secretary, box keeper and three key keepers. The groups meet once a week and contribute an amount of money voluntarily each. The secretary records each person’s contribution in a passbook and again in a notebook that the secretary keeps. Each member keeps his passbook. All the contributions made on each day are put in the metal box that SAHUF provided and kept by a trusted member. During the meeting days, the assigned AEA attends the meeting to educate farmers on their farming activities. The PET occasionally attends the meetings to get hands-on information about the progress of work.

Results of Second disbursement

1. Capacity building Workshops
This time round two separate capacity building workshops were carried out in the second quarter. The first workshop was on Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) which were build on the first one that was done in the first by Mr. Bia Williams the Banda district director of agriculture who gave the presentation. His presentation reflected on the meaning, causes, effects and mitigation measures on climate change. He touched more on the causes that were discussed in the first which includes bush fires, charcoal production, deforestation, bad farming practices, improper application of agrochemicals, etc. The effects were discussed under three subheadings; agriculture, health and environment. Participants were encouraged to use some of the following measures to help curb the climate change menace planting of trees, avoiding bushfires, adopting good farming practices such as mixed farming, mulching, fallowing, water harvesting and planting resistant/high yielding crop varieties.
The second day workshop was on Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs). The senior extension supervisor Mr. Bernard Bontuo was the facilitator. Among the things he educated farmers on were row planting, crop rotation, regular diseases and pests control, timely weed control, inter-cropping, contour planting/planting along slopes and the use of improved varieties. He quickly added to the fact that farmers should get themselves involved in the government policy on Planting for Foods and Jobs (PFJ) to get good varieties of seeds and also at a reduced cost.

2. Planting of Trees
In consultations with the district manager of the Banda Forest Services Division and the district of Ministry of Food and Agriculture and their teams provided the local farmers with improved cashew seeds. 50 local farmers were provided with the cashew and drafted mango seedlings for planting. The improved mango seedlings were planted at the backyards of the famers. Though the transplanting was successful, the impact of the drought affected and delayed the process. The mango trees will give them as wind breeze and also protect their houses from strong winds which can destroy their houses.


3. Soil fertility improvement technologies
A workshop was organized to train 75 farmers on how to improve soil fertility. This, the facilitator said, would also maintain soil productivity to improve soil structure and biological health, reduce erosion, and increase efficiency of water and fertilizer use: some of the practices farmers were taken through were mulching with natural materials and plastic, leaving crop residue, application of manure, incorporation of cover crops in the rotation cycle, agroforestry, contouring of hedge rows, terracing and conservation tillage, controlled use of irrigation, land-use planning and land-tenure reform.

4. Practicing of mixed farming
Most of the members are cashew and vegetable farmers; they always rely on crops/produce from their farms. One community sensitization workshop was organized in each of the two communities on mixed farming. The director of Save Humanity Foundation indicated that the purpose of the sensitization was to create awareness on what mixed farming is and how it is practiced. He went on to say that animal production alongside crop production serves a lot of importance to farmers as farmers could sell or kill some of them in times of hardships. The resource person gave a presentation on the general overview of mixed farming.
Members in the two communities were trained on mixed farming as a system of farming. The resource person for the day was Mr. Adjei Mensah Isaac, a specialist at the Banda Ahenkro District Agriculture Extension Unit. Among the things he talked about include:
a. Overview of mixed farming
b. Forms of mixed farming
? Integrated system
? Diversified system
c. Requirements in mixed farming
d. Suitable crops and animals in the locality
e. Advantages of mixed farming
f. How to collect and use animal wastes as manure
g. Disadvantages of mixed farming
Members were also given the opportunity to ask questions and the facilitator responded accordingly.

5. Establishment of Farmer Field School (FFS)
The Project Execution Team agreed that as they the farmers are the beneficiaries of the project, their farms will be used to do the demonstration. During planting of the cashew AEAs moves to the individual farms with other farmers to teach them the skill he wants to impact to the farmers. Some of the farming techniques he taught them were line and pegging, mulching, weed and pest control.

6. Establishment of village saving scheme
The village susu savings scheme which was started in the first quarter is still going on with the great momentum it started with. The scheme which operates for a six month period saw its first ‘box opening’ ceremony in the four months ago. The sharing of shares for the first six months was done in this quarter. The day which was dubbed ‘box opening’ ceremony was graced by the Banda District Chief Executive. The DCE representative was grateful to UNDP/GEF/SGP and Save Our Environment Foundation for choosing to work in the Banda district. She implored the members to take the project very serious as it will help them to provide the basic school needs of their children. The district agric director beseeched the members to use part of their accumulated fund to subscribe to the government’s Planting for Food and Jobs Programme. He also took them through some basic ways of tendering for cashew plants.

7. Project monitoring and management
Aside the regular monitoring and evaluation of the project activities by the M&E officer, the Project Execution Team (PET) also met to assess the progress of work done so far. The PET together with the major stakeholders met once to deliberate on the progress of work and suggested to the implementation team the approach and methodology which is appropriate for the project. In the review meeting held by the PET, the PET agreed to visit the susu groups during their meeting days to encourage the members to actively involve themselves, also, regular absentees were to be visited to find their reasons and advise them. The PET also put in measures to find the cause of the death of the animals which was established to be a disease attack and the absence of a veterinary officer in the locality made it difficult to control the disease.
The National Coordinator with his team gathered all the organizations working along the upstream and downstream of the Black Volta at Wenchi in the Brong-Ahafo region. It was a peer to peer review workshop. During the workshop, each organization gave a presentation of the project being implemented and the success that has been chopped, vis-as-vis the challenges. This workshop enabled participants to tap and share diverse knowledge in using the best alternatives for desirable results
2ND QUARTER RESULTS
An assessment has been carried out with the local farmers to help better understand the project objectives. It was officially launched at the district capital where major stakeholders were present including staff of GEF. Community sensitization on climate change has been carried out and a team of seven members trained to monitor and advise on how the implementation of the project will be done. Three capacity buildings have been done on Climate Smart Agriculture, Good Agricultural Practices and Fall Army worm control.
11 members have also received training on how to establish tree nursery. 72 members have been trained and enrolled on the village susu saving scheme and the first sharing shall be done six months later. The monitoring and evaluation officer together with the Project Execution Team have been monitoring the progress of work accordingly.

3rd Quarter Results
1. Capacity building Workshops
Project beneficiaries were taught row planting, crop rotation, regular diseases and pests control, timely weed control, inter-cropping, contour planting/planting along slopes and the use of improved varieties. The government policy on Planting for Foods and Jobs (PFJ) to get good varieties of seeds and also at a reduced cost.

2. Planting of Trees
In consultations with the district manager of the Banda Forest Services Division and the district of Ministry of Food and Agriculture and their teams provided the local farmers with improved cashew seeds. 50 local farmers were provided with the cashew and drafted mango seedlings for planting. The improved mango seedlings were planted at the backyards of the farmers. Though the transplanting was successful, the impact of the drought affected and delayed the process. The mango trees will give them as wind breeze and also protect their houses from strong winds which can destroy their houses.


3. Soil fertility improvement technologies
A workshop was organized to train 75 farmers on how to improve soil fertility. This, the facilitator said, would also maintain soil productivity to improve soil structure and biological health, reduce erosion, and increase efficiency of water and fertilizer use: some of the practices farmers were taken through were mulching with natural materials and plastic, leaving crop residue, application of manure, incorporation of cover crops in the rotation cycle, agroforestry, contouring of hedge rows, terracing and conservation tillage, controlled use of irrigation, land-use planning and land-tenure reform.

4. Practicing of mixed farming
Most of the members are cashew and vegetable farmers; they always rely on crops/produce from their farms. One community sensitization workshop was organized in each of the two communities on mixed farming. The director of Save Humanity Foundation indicated that the purpose of the sensitization was to create awareness on what mixed farming is and how it is practiced. He went on to say that animal production alongside crop production serves a lot of importance to farmers as farmers could sell or kill some of them in times of hardships. The resource person gave a presentation on the general overview of mixed farming.
Members in the two communities were trained on mixed farming as a system of farming. The typology of training included:
b.
? Integrated system
? Diversified system
c. Suitable crops and animals in the locality
e. Advantages of mixed farming
f. How to collect and use animal wastes as manure
g. Disadvantages of mixed farming
Members were also given the opportunity to ask questions and the facilitator responded accordingly.

5. Establishment of Farmer Field School (FFS)
The Project Execution Team agreed that as they the farmers are the beneficiaries of the project, their farms will be used to do the demonstration. During planting of the cashew AEAs moves to the individual farms with other farmers to teach them the skill he wants to impact to the farmers. Some of the farming techniques he taught them were line and pegging, mulching, weed and pest control.

6. Establishment of village saving scheme
The village susu savings scheme which was started in the first quarter is still going on with the great momentum it started with. The scheme which operates for a six month period saw its first ‘box opening’ ceremony in the four months ago. The sharing of shares for the first six months was done in this quarter. The day which was dubbed ‘box opening’ ceremony was graced by the Banda District Chief Executive. The DCE representative was grateful to UNDP/GEF/SGP and Save Our Environment Foundation for choosing to work in the Banda district. She implored the members to take the project very serious as it will help them to provide the basic school needs of their children. The district agric director beseeched the members to use part of their accumulated fund to subscribe to the government’s Planting for Food and Jobs Programme. He also took them through some basic ways of tendering for cashew plants.

7. Project monitoring and management
Aside the regular monitoring and evaluation of the project activities by the M&E officer, the Project Execution Team (PET) also met to assess the progress of work done so far. The PET together with the major stakeholders met once to deliberate on the progress of work and suggested to the implementation team the approach and methodology which is appropriate for the project. In the review meeting held by the PET, the PET agreed to visit the susu groups during their meeting days to encourage the members to actively involve themselves, also, regular absentees were to be visited to find their reasons and advise them. The PET also put in measures to find the cause of the death of the animals which was established to be a disease attack and the absence of a veterinary officer in the locality made it difficult to control the disease.