Wa, April 19, GNA- A five-member evaluation team from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is in the Upper East and Upper West regions to prepare an interim evaluation on two projects the organization had sponsored in the two regions.
The team, headed by Mr Fabrizio Felloni, Evaluation Officer of IFAD, would evaluate and prepare an interim report on the Upper West Agricultural Development Project (UWADEO) and the Land Conservation and Smallholder Rehabilitation Project in the Upper East Region. The project period of both projects have since come to an end and the essence of the evaluation exercise is to assess the success or otherwise of the project on agricultural production, it's impact on the lives of farmers and their families as well as improvement in their earnings. These were made known by Mr Felloni when he and members of his team paid a courtesy call on Mr Ambrose Dery, the Upper West Regional Minister on Monday.
Mr Felloni told the minister that a stakeholders' workshop would be held in July at which farmers from the two regions, officials of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and IFAD would discuss the final evaluation report on the two projects.
Under UWADEP, 19 out of the targeted 20 small scale irrigation dams were constructed to boost crop production and the provision of imported improved species of sheep and goats for cross breeding with the local variety, all in a bid to improve the local stock of small ruminants. Mr Dery stressed the need to ensure the sustainability of such projects long after the project period had come to and end. He suggested the inclusion of women in such important projects since women form the bulk of farmers in the two regions and much of the family responsibilities also rest on them.