GHANA

Through our Strengthening Public Accountability for Results and Knowledge (SPARK) program, we bring grassroots groups, including smallholder rice farmers and communities affected by mining, together with budget analysts to influence budget decisions around services they need to thrive.

The Problem

Smallholder farmers rely heavily on subsidized fertilizer to ensure they can plant crops and provide food security for the country. Despite their critical role, these farmers are often unable to access fertilizer when they need it due to many challenges in the implementation, allocation and transparency of the Fertilizer Subsidy Programme (FSP).

Challenges to accessing subsidized fertilizer include:

    • Poor identification and targeting of smallholder farmers.
    • Budget allocations are not transparent nor linked to the actual number of targeted beneficiaries.
    • Fertilizer does not always reach the farmers where they are.
    • Challenges with identifying and paying suppliers inhibits the timely supply and delivery of fertilizer to farmers.

    Our Work

    In partnership with the Peasant Farmer Association of Ghana (PFAG) we are advocating for more equitable and effective targeting of smallholder farmers and monitoring program implementation to reduce diversion of fertilizer to large farmers or non-farmers, including:

     

    • Working with SEND Ghana to analyze the budget and advocate for a clear and transparent link between budget allocations and the actual number of targeted beneficiaries.
    • Monitoring the distribution of fertilizer and pushing for allocation criteria based on actual need in regions and districts.
    • Collecting information from farmers about the challenges they face and using this data to advocate for changes in the procurement and distribution process.
    • Analyzing the flow of funds to suppliers to advocate for timely payments.

    Our Partners

    Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) is a farmer-based organization that brings together small holder farmers to form a common front to advocate for government policy and action that support their source of livelihood.

    SEND Ghana promotes participatory monitoring and evaluation of government’s policies and programs in the agricultural sector as a key strategy for promoting livelihood security and improved service delivery, especially for women and smallholder farmers. SEND is supporting the Peasant Farmers’ Association of Ghana to sharpen its advocacy for greater access to the government’s program for subsidized fertilizer.

    Wassa Communities affected by Mining (WACAM) is a premier community based human rights and environmental mining advocacy group with a community-based focus. WACAM is focused on community mobilization, organization and rights-based education for empowerment, at the local, national, sub regional and international levels to influence mining policy and practice.