Chereponi: The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has organised a one-day capacity-building programme for members of the Multi-Stakeholder Platform (MSP) in the Chereponi District of the North East Region to strengthen safeguarding practices, budget accountability, and inclusive decision-making.
According to Ghana News Agency, the training was part of the 'Strengthening Farmers' Voices to Promote Accountability and Inclusive Decision-Making in Ghana' project, supported by the Star Ghana Foundation. A statement issued in Accra noted that the MSP includes representatives from the Chereponi District Assembly, PFAG District Executives, Civil Society Organisations, processors, aggregators, traditional authorities, youth, and women groups. This platform serves to engage duty bearers and rights holders on issues impacting smallholder farmers.
Dr Roger Akanbisik, PFAG Project Officer, guided participants through safeguarding principles and stakeholder responsibilities to promote safe, respectful, and inclusive engagement. He stressed the importance of protecting children, vulnerable adults, and community members from abuse, exploitation, and discrimination, emphasizing prompt and confidential handling of safeguarding concerns.
A significant part of the programme was the presentation of an analysis of the 2026 Chereponi District Assembly Composite Budget by Dr Benjamin Sarfo, PFAG Programmes Officer. The analysis showed that agriculture, which employs about 81 per cent of the district's active population, received only 1.81 per cent of the total budget allocation, marking it as one of the least-funded sectors. Social services accounted for 37.0 per cent of the budget, infrastructure received 33.3 per cent, trade, tourism, and industry obtained 15.7 per cent, while management and administration received 12.0 per cent.
Dr. Sarfo revealed that 86.8 per cent of the agriculture sector's allocation was designated for salaries, leaving only 13.2 per cent for actual agricultural programmes and field activities. He noted the absence of dedicated budget lines for critical interventions such as support for the Women in Agricultural Development (WIAD) Unit, storage and warehousing facilities, small-scale irrigation schemes, youth agro-entrepreneurship training and grants, and Good Agricultural Practices.
Using the budget analysis findings as a basis for advocacy, Dr Sarfo encouraged MSP members to engage local authorities and demand increased investment in agriculture. He provided participants with practical advocacy tools and frameworks, emphasizing that effective advocacy messages should be fact-based, solution-oriented, clear, concise, and respectful.
Participants expressed satisfaction with the training and committed to enhancing collaboration to ensure farmers' priorities are reflected in district planning and resource allocation. Mrs Latifu Afushetu, National Vice President of PFAG and a farmer in Chereponi, described the budget analysis as enlightening, providing valuable insight into the budget preparation process and the limited allocation for agriculture.
Mr Kingsley B. Gandaa, District Director of Agriculture, and Mr James Ayambire of the Department of Cooperatives pledged support for sustaining the MSP beyond the project period. Participants also committed to tracking budget allocations using PFAG's scorecard and the Right to Information Act, while sharing training lessons with communities to strengthen grassroots advocacy and accountability.