Aid to a village community

Ghana has a huge problem when it comes to food--the country produces a lot but much of it goes to waste since there is very little processing. 

There are government grants available for village communities meant to eliminate inefficiencies in the production, storing and/or marketing of foodstuff. The process for obtaining such a grant is relatively simple: the village elder (the spokesman) and the community queenmother agree to apply to the agricultural department of the government. This request is then forwarded to agricultural specialists and researchers who will visit the village several times to determine whether the money would be spent wisely. Cass, Jeff's partner, happens to be one of two of the Sunyani Polytechnic researchers (a natural resource and agricultural specialist)  and he gave us the rare opportunity to accompany them to a village near Dobro, about 40 km east from Cote d'Ivoire northwest of Sunyani and observe how  they go about evaluating the villagers.

The two Polytechnic researchers

Upon our arrival we were welcomed into the home of one of the farmers (see photo to the left). The home was a cottage around which  new walls were built to hold several new rooms--a kind of remodeling Ghana-country style, also a new roof. Make no mistake, it all was very simple but a huge difference from the cottage it once was.  

The floor was sort of concreted over but the unevenness of the soil underneath showed; there was no furniture except for a long narrow bench. All farmers came with plastic chair in hand, 10 farmers in all and the queenmother.

All of us minus the photographer Jeff

Queenmother and Cass

We were part of the initial formalities, sat in a circle and everyone introduced themselves in Twi ( our partners served as interpreters). None of the farmers spoke English.

After the introductions, the farmers were put into two groups and interviewed while we three visitors decided to have a closer look at the village. The villagers engaged primarily in growing cashew and corn--good cash crops for the region. 

The village is electrified and is clearly in better shape than any of the other villages we had seen. We saw evidence of new, larger house construction with modern sheet metal roofs and relatively primitive outhouses were replaced by well constructed outhouses.  

Close-up of old outhouse

New outhouse

The drainage ditches were natural and could have used some work.










The two wells that we saw in front of several cottages had actually faucets indicating that an electric pump was installed. 

As we walked in the incredible heat along the main road of the village, We saw a water tower but heard it wasn't working.  

Main road--the only object of color is the mosque.

The Mosque in the center of the village
 shows that the villagers are predominantly Muslim.

Even though we are still in the same region as the town of Sunyani is, this village is predominantly Muslim. It is interesting to note that I was told that many of the villagers came from the north and settled here because of the fertile soils bringing their cultures and Muslim faith with them. It is believed that the queenmother is an indigenous person, which basically means that she and her family do not come from the north but from this area but they adopted the faith at some point.

There were several small shops in the village, one sporting a large freezer. 

There was also a tiny market where some fresh wares were offered-- so clearly some subsistence farmers are able to make an income  this way.

There were places outside where people cooked but I got the impression that people used gas for cooking as well.

After the interviewing was finished we were all invited to eat -- rice  because white people tend to not eat fufu (ha!)--and chicken; they probably killed a chicken for us. All of us quietly left most of the chicken in the pots so the villagers could eat it.

Handwashing ritual before eating. Actually we were given spoons so that we didn't have to eat with the hands.

Saying goodbye to the lady of the house (left) and the queenmother.

Cass and his colleague will now identify problems in food growing, harvesting, storing and marketing and suggest ways on how to eliminate these inefficiencies. Both feel confident that this village will receive its aid; a sum of $ 50,000 which will most likely pay for some machinery and needed silos.