A week-long workshop aimed at identifying key agricultural value chains to create employment opportunities and prevent violent extremism in the sub-region has kicked off in Tamale.
Organized by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the Governments of Denmark and Germany, the workshop gathered representatives from various sectors to explore and maximize agricultural value chains for sustainable development.
Participants, including stakeholders from Departments of Agriculture, Business Advisory Centres, Village Savings and Loans Associations, aggregators, women in the shea industry, and community members, were drawn from the Northern, Upper East, Upper West, North East, and the Savannah Regions.
The initiative is part of the UNDP’s “Preventing and Responding to Violent Extremism in the Atlantic Corridor” project, covering Ghana, Ivory Coast, Togo, and Benin.
Madam Melody Azinim, Peace and Governance Analyst at UNDP, emphasized the workshop’s goal of commercializing key value chains to create sustainable businesses and address communities’ vulnerabilities to violent extremism.
Alhaji Shani Alhassan Saibu, Northern Regional Minister, praised the initiative, highlighting the government’s commitment to enhancing local capacities and ensuring human security.
Dr. Prince Oppong Kwarteng, a Consultant with the UNDP, led participants in exploring potential value chains, including poultry production, animal husbandry, shea, yam, cashew, cassava, maize, soybeans, dawadawa cultivation, and honey production.
Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed, Executive Director of Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency, welcomed the intervention, anticipating increased resilience for women in the agricultural sector and a reduction in gender-based violence.
Mr. Sulemana Mahama, Head of the Department of Agriculture, North Gonja District, Savannah Region, stressed the agricultural sector’s potential to address unemployment and urged stakeholders to support the project’s goal of providing employment and preventing violent extremism in the sub-region.
