Grains for Growth: Mastercard Foundation, IDH, invests $22 million in smallholder farming in Northern Ghana

The Grains for Growth initiative, a partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and IDH, is revolutionising agriculture and changing rural communities in Northern Ghana.

The ground-breaking cooperation is providing inputs, training, and market access to approximately 20,000 smallholder farmers through a $22 million investment.

Hikimatu Kadiri, the CEO of AgroMart Ltd. in Tamale, the northern regional capital, said in a video seen by ModernGhana News that she has significantly increased her tractor service business thanks to contracts from the project worth over $70,000.

“I train other young women like myself in tractor operation, creating opportunities," she said.

Her assistant Selma Iddrisu added, "Madam Hikima trained a lot of us. She is a supporter and made me her employee."

In Puzena, a town in the Upper West region, Razak Bongo's maize yields have more than doubled since receiving seeds, fertilisers, and training from project partner DEGAS.

“Before DEGAS came, I was struggling to afford inputs to farm my one acre. Now I farm three acres," Razak said.

His brother confirmed, "DEGAS has improved our lives." Razak plans to reinvest profits in his farm and education, as well as in his family, in the absence of his late father.

The project's goal, according to Robert Asugre, Country Manager for IDH Ghana, is to create inclusive value chains and scale effect through collaborations.

With $22 million in private sector investment, more than 35,000 tonnes of grains valued at $18.5 million have been produced thus far, according to Mr. Asugre.

A project coordinator for DEGAS, Alhassan Nuhu, stated that the agritech company helps farmers improve upon their activities in their respective communities.

“We mobilise input and training to improve activities in communities," he explained in the video.

More about the programme:
The goal of the Grain for Growth initiative is to create economically sustainable and inclusive grain supply chains that will support employment and entrepreneurship, raise incomes, and enhance the quality of life for farmers—particularly young and female farmers.

It is anticipated that this project, which focuses on the five northern Ghanaian regions, will provide notable outcomes, such as the opening of premium markets to 12 SMEs, a 20% increase in income for 20,000 smallholder farmers, and 103,000 job opportunities.

As a component of IDH's Grown Sustainably in Africa (GSA) programme, the initiative has partnered with Nestle and three other premium off-takers over a five-year term, spanning from 2021 to 2025.

The programme uses a variety of components to increase smallholder farmer production and revenue.

A diagnostic and service delivery model is a key component that examines smallholder operations to identify improvement needs.

Experts are employed to give technical, operational, and management help to the small and medium-sized farmers under the Grains for Growth programme.

Additional components include improved mechanisation, digitalization for smallholder involvement, business development services, and access to affordable financing to help farmers expand.