Feed the Future Ghana Market Systems and Resilience (MSR) Activity has announced a $US6 million grant programme to support sustainable on and off-farm employment and investment opportunities in Northern Ghana.
The grant programme, which is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), will assist successful applicants to increase their farm yields, and market efficiency and also have easy access to markets for their produce.
In an interaction with the media at the MRS Public roadshow to educate potential applicants on the purpose, eligibility requirements, application processes and the nature of the grant in Accra on Monday, the Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Director of Ghana MRS Activity, Mr Eric Sunu, noted that the grant would be administered through leveraged investments in agricultural and non-agricultural enterprises.
He added that the Grant would also strengthen agricultural market systems and consequently increase income for households in the Northern part of Ghana.
“A strong market system will result in greater efficiencies, productivity and investment in goods and services that drive agriculturally led economic growth,” he stated.
Mr Sunu disclosed that the focus of the programme is mainly on private sector businesses and non-profit organisations in selected Districts in the Northern part of the country whose existing operations centre on the targeted crops of the programme.
“The Grant Program will target private sector businesses and non-governmental organizations whose current work or businesses focus on the activity’s ten targeted crops such as maize, shea, bambara bean, soybean, cowpea, groundnuts, moringa, mango and horticulture in 17 designated districts across the Northern, North East, Upper West and Upper East regions,” he noted.
On the mode of application of the grant, he advised eligible organizations to submit their concept notes with supporting documents including Budget, Applicant Contributions/Leverage sheets to the official e-mail address [ grants@acdivocaghana.org ].
“The grant also intends to improve the lives of women, youth and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs). If applicants’ concept notes demonstrate that their inventions will involve 50 per cent women, 30 per cent youth, and 20 per cent of PWDs, they have a possibility of receiving funds,” he hinted.
Eligible organisations for the MSR grant are farmer-based organizations, out-grower businesses (associations and/or co-operatives, village savings and lending associations, small and medium enterprises) and private sector umbrella organizations.
Others include Ghanaian non-governmental organizations, U.S. non-governmental organizations, anchor firms (buyers, processors, exporters, etc.), business service providers, and selected public institutions including technical services organizations and local government institutions are eligible for funding under MSR’s Grant Programme.