Ghana’s Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr Bryan Acheampong, has praised the formation of a Savings and Loans Association under the four-year Research for Development and Innovation Agriculture and Learning (ReDIAL) project, highlighting its significant contribution to the country’s agricultural sector.

Speaking at the ReDIAL Project Close-out Workshop in Accra on Tuesday, October 22, Mr Harry Bleppony, who delivered the speech on behalf of the Agriculture Minister, stated that more than 7,000 people have benefited from the initiative.

The programme, which provides financial assistance to smallholder farmers at a low interest rate of 5%, has already impacted 11,000 farmers, he said.

Mr Bleppony emphasised the critical role of smallholder farmers, who contribute approximately 80% of Ghana’s agricultural production.

"The Ministry is committed to supporting them in every possible way to enhance their productivity. This includes a shift to a credit-based input system that enables farmers to access necessary inputs with no interest on repayment,” he added.

The ReDIAL project, which aimed to boost agricultural innovation and stakeholder collaboration, has provided smallholder farmers with essential services.

It has also promoted the establishment of Village Savings and Loans Associations, which have been instrumental in improving financial access for farmers.

Massimo Mina, Head of Cooperation at the European Union in Ghana, reiterated the EU’s commitment to partnering with the country to ensure food security.

Funded by the European Union (EU) and implemented under the EU initiative on Climate-relevant Development Smart Innovation through Research in Agriculture (DeSIRA), the ReDIAL project aims to foster innovation in Ghana’s agricultural and food systems.

The project has focused on improving soil fertility, developing innovative technologies for grain threshing, and promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices.

With a strong gender perspective, the ReDIAL project has targeted 10,000 farmers, 60% of whom are women and farmers with disabilities. The initiative has been rolled out in five districts across the Northern, Bono East, Ashanti, Western North, and Eastern regions of Ghana.

ReDIAL was implemented by a consortium of three partners: Friends of the Nation (FoN), Tropenbos Ghana, and the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

The project also collaborated with private companies, SAYeTECH, which produces multi-crop threshing technology, and SESI Technologies, known for its FarmSense soil nutrition testing technology.

The project has contributed to improving the livelihoods of smallholder farmers while promoting sustainable agricultural practices across the country.