UER: Only 5 out of 15 MDAs benefitted from PERD because of lack of funds

The Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) Programme is a decentralized National Tree Crop Programme to promote rural economic growth and improve household incomes of rural farmers through the provision of certified improved seedlings, extension services, business support and regulatory mechanisms.

To create a legacy towards the realization of the Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda, the Government of Ghana through the joint effort by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture rolled out the PERD programme to develop nine (9) commodity value chains namely Cashew, Coffee, Cotton Coconut, Citrus, Oil Palm, Mango, Rubber and Shea through a decentralized system.

The programme seeks to create sustainable raw material base to spur up the decentralized industrialization drive through One District Factory initiative. The 5-year PERD programme will support 1million farmers in 170 districts with certified free planting materials to cover over one (1) million hectares of farmlands and engage 10,000 young graduates as crop-specialized extension officers.

While it was expected that all 15 Districts and Municipalities (MDAs) within the Upper East Region would benefit from the project, some MDAs have not been attended to because of the lack of funds.

“Nabdam, Garu, Tempane, Bawku West and the Kassena Nankana West. These are the districts that planted the cashew. All 15 MDAs were supposed to benefit.”

“For the other districts, some complained that they did not have the funds at that time. It [funding] was supposed to be through the District Assemblies,” he said.

Earlier, Mr. Ennor admitted that the PERD was underperforming in the Upper East Region because of animal grazing, droughts and bush fires.