The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, has paid a courtesy call on His Royal Majesty Jirah Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto Jawu Soale I, ahead of the official national launch of PROSPER Project in Damongo, the capital of the Savannah Region.
The PROSPER initiative — Promoting Rural Opportunities, Sustainable Profits, and Environmental Resilience — is a major national programme aimed at boosting agricultural productivity and transforming rural livelihoods. This year’s launch is themed “Enhancing Climate-Resilience, Inclusive, and Market-Driven Agricultural Value Chains in Ghana.”
At the Jakpa Palace, the Yagbonwura warmly welcomed the Minister and his delegation, praising government’s renewed commitment to modern agriculture, climate adaptation, and value-chain development. He emphasized that the Savannah Region, endowed with vast arable land and a youthful population, stands to benefit immensely from such targeted agricultural interventions.
Hon. Opoku, in response, thanked the traditional authority for its unwavering support toward national food security. He noted that the PROSPER Project will deploy improved technologies, expand market access, and promote environmentally friendly farming practices tailored to rural communities.
According to the Minister, the initiative forms part of government’s broader drive to build a resilient agricultural sector capable of creating jobs, boosting rural incomes, and ensuring sustainable food production despite climate pressures.
The courtesy call preceded the official launch of the PROSPER Project in Damongo, which drew regional stakeholders, farmer groups, development partners, traditional leaders, and government officials.
Welcoming participants at the launch, the Savannah Regional Minister, Hon. Salisu Be-Awuribe, said the choice of the Savannah Region to host the national event was deliberate, describing the region as Ghana’s largest holder of arable land and a natural hub for agricultural expansion. He highlighted the region’s rich water resources, including the Black and White Volta basins, which offer strong potential for irrigation and year-round farming.
He noted that the launch aligns with the vision of Ghana’s first President to position the area as the country’s cereal production centre. The Regional Minister assured stakeholders of stable land tenure systems and invited investors and agribusinesses to take advantage of opportunities created under the PROSPER Project. He further pledged the commitment of the Savannah Regional Coordinating Council to closely monitor implementation and ensure maximum benefits to local communities.
Delivering the keynote address, Hon. Eric Opoku (MP) described PROSPER as one of government’s most strategic agricultural modernization initiatives aimed at strengthening climate resilience, environmental sustainability, and rural incomes. He disclosed that the project has a total financing envelope of US$147.3 million, with funding from the Government of Ghana, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the Green Climate Fund (GCF).
The Agric Minister indicated that PROSPER is expected to benefit 420,000 people, including 100,000 direct beneficiaries, with a strong focus on women, youth, and persons with disabilities. He explained that the project will support priority value chains such as maize, rice, soybean, cashew, vegetables, poultry, and shea, and will be implemented in the Eastern, Bono, Bono East, Oti, Northern, Savannah, North East, Upper East, and Upper West Regions.
Key interventions under the project include rural infrastructure development, climate-smart agriculture, access to affordable finance, market linkages, nutrition-sensitive farming, and green energy solutions.
The Minister called on all stakeholders to work collaboratively to ensure the successful delivery of the project and formally declared PROSPER launched, amid optimism that the initiative will significantly reshape agriculture and rural livelihoods in northern Ghana.
Source: kumasimail.com
