Sustainable Tree Crops Program - Ghana
Project Dates: Pilot Phase 2003-2006, Phase II 2007-2011
Country: Ghana
Funders: Core Program – U.S. Agency for International Development, World Cocoa Foundation and global cocoa industry; CSSP II - European Union; iMPACT - Mars, Inc.
Implementer: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (management); Participatory Development Associates (development of new institutional arrangements/community associations development); Ministry of Food and Agriculture (farmer training); SOCODEVI (farmer organization capacity development of local partners); Community Development Consult Network (farmer training); Support for Community Mobilization Project/Program (farmer training)
Overview
The activities of the Sustainable Tree Crops Program (STCP) Ghana include farmer training through the Farmer Field School, Video Viewing Club, and Farmer Learning Group methodologies and research with active farmer participation. The success of these approaches during the pilot attracted the interest of local institutions from the public, private, and non-profit sectors. In 2006, the institutions were trained to develop the capacity to implement their own farmer trainings and play a prominent role in scaling up activities. In Phase II, STCP-Ghana also addresses community organization development, alternative income opportunities, and policy studies for a sustainable cocoa economy contributing to rural transformation and growth. In 2008, STCP-Ghana began work on components of the Cocoa Sector Support Program Phase II (CSSP II), the Millennium Village Project, and the iMPACT project.
Program Objectives:
- To increase cocoa farmers’ income through intensification and promotion of responsible labor use
- To contribute to rural transformation in the cocoa belt of Ghana
- To enhance environmental sustainability of cocoa through agroforestry and tree diversification
- To develop and validate models for improved self-organization capacities of cocoa communities
- To contribute to cocoa sector policy change through research and stakeholder dialogue
Progress to Date:
- 8,247 farmers trained through 202 Farmer Field Schools. Training includes improved crop production techniques, as well as HIV/AIDS and child labor sensitization through the participatory Farmer Field School approach. Of these farmers, 521 were participants in the Millennium Village Project, 1,129 in the iMPACT project and 1,083 in CSSP II. An additional 15,815 farmers were reached indirectly through farmer-to-farmer diffusion. 165 facilitators were trained at the community and institutional levels. This includes 10 facilitators from 6 local institutions who since received further training to become master trainers; they now have the capacity to train facilitators to conduct Farmer Field Schools. An impact study conducted in 2009 found that farmers who were trained from 2005 to 2007 experienced a 65% increase in gross margins as compared to non-participants
- 2,544 farmers trained through 95 Video Viewing Clubs. 32 clubs were for women cocoa farmers, and 63 were conducted for both men and women. A total of 1,512 farmers were trained through CSSP II and 582 through iMPACT. Topics covered include pruning, black pod disease control, harvesting/pod breaking and fermentation techniques. An additional 1,646 farmers were reached through farmer-to-farmer diffusion.
- 8 districts developing associations. Working in partnership with SOCODEVI and Participatory Development Associates (PDA), STCP seeks to build capacity in local institutions for the training of advisors to guide farmers/communities to better organize themselves to access services, farm inputs and credit for improved farming. 56 community associations were formed in 8 districts participating in CSSP II.
Success Story: Woman Farmer says, "Video Viewing Club Adawuruma"
Success Story: Kwabena Antwi-Boasiako
Success Story: Umbrellas for Cocoa Trees: Farmers Renew Traditional Practice of Shade Farming
Success Story: Video Viewing Club Helps Family Achieve Their Dreams
Success Story: Farmer Learns that Sometimes Less Yields More
Success Story: "We Will Work Together to Help Ourselves" - Farmer Group Development
Success Story: Good Agricultural Practices Help Farmer Support Family