NGOs provide food security for 3,334 households in Wa East

February 02, 2010
Tumu, (UWR), Feb. 2, GNA - The Sissala Literacy and Development Programme (SILDEP), in partnership with Plan Ghana, will this year support about 3,334 households in the Wa East District to cultivate soybeans and maize under its food security programme.

Mr. Moses Luri, Executive Director of SILDEP who made this known at the weekend at Tumu noted that the intervention included an inventory credit programme and Village Savings and Loans Associations (VSLAs).

He said the interventions were meant to address the problem of food insecurity created in the district as a result of the recent floods in the area.

The Executive Director hinted that about 35 VSLAs have been formed in the Sissala East District with support from Plan Ghana.

"Plans are far advanced to support women with micro credit to cultivate 50 acres of moringa and 50 acres of soybeans for household consumptions", he said.

Mr. Luri noted that moringa has very good medicinal and nutritional values needed for food fortification under the national School Feeding Programme.

"SILDEP's vision is to see a Sissala population with sustainable income that is comparable to the highest regional average income in Ghana.

"Our mission is to promote the welfare of the Sissala people through sustainable economic activities, language and skills development, adult literacy as well as gender equity promotion."

He stated that the NGO (Non-governmental organisation) operations were based on five domains, which includes literacy, health, livelihood empowerment, research as well as civic rights of the people.

The Executive Director called for the support of the district assemblies, NGOs and the Sissala community to enable SILDEP to realise its 10-year strategic plan dubbed: "Mitigating Rural Poverty through Literacy and Skills Development."

GNA