Kassena Nankana Municipality, Upper East Region of Ghana GAPNET, a non-governmental organization founded by Dr. Anthony Nsoh Akunzule, is empowering women in the Yua community by providing them with resources to establish poultry farms.
Twelve women in Yua have each received ten SASSO birds, enabling them to start small-scale poultry operations with the goal of fostering self-reliance and improving household incomes.
Established in the early 2000s, GAPNET has been dedicated to reducing poverty among women and youth in rural areas. The organization has implemented numerous economic initiatives that have made tangible differences in the lives of community members.
Guinea fowls hold significant socio-cultural value in Yua, and GAPNET recognizes the importance of village poultry as a basic household asset. In alignment with the government’s flagship Feed Ghana program, GAPNET has donated the SASSO birds, which have been brooded for eight weeks and vaccinated against common poultry diseases such as Newcastle disease.
These dual-purpose birds are ideal for egg and meat production, allowing women to bolster their families’ nutrition.
Mr. Awudu Issaka Agandaa, GAPNET’s focal person, emphasized the economic benefits of the birds, noting that presenting live birds instead of dressed ones during the Christmas season allows families to sustainably produce eggs and meat. Some of the eggs produced will help improve the nutrition of children in the village.
This initiative is a continuation of the Cornell Guinea Fowl Project, which began in July 2021,.previously, the project provided microfinance to 15 women, guinea fowl keets to 20 women, and guinea fowl eggs to 10 women, along with tree planting initiatives for selected beneficiaries in Yua and Sirigu.
Many of today’s beneficiaries are continuing the good management practices learned from previous distributions of guinea fowl chicks in 2021.GAPNET advises all recipients to follow best management practices, such as providing quality feed and water, maintaining cleanliness in poultry houses, keeping records, and being vigilant about the birds’ health. Capacity building sessions have been conducted since 2021, led by staff from the Veterinary Services Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to improve health management practices in poultry production.
GAPNET’s roots in poultry improvement date back to the year 2000, with the “Village Poultry Improvement Programme” supported by Kindness International, USA. This project educated the Yua community on housing construction, provided vaccinations against Newcastle disease, and focused on indigenous poultry production.Further comments from Awudu Issaka Agandaa reveal that GAPNET has been active in promoting indigenous poultry since 2000 through partnerships with various organizations across West Africa.
The recent donation of SASSO birds reflects GAPNET’s ongoing commitment to empower women through poultry farming, ultimately leading to increased household incomes and improved livelihoods.
In addition to Yua, GAPNET plans to expand its outreach to six other communities (Natugnia, Sirigu, Mirigu, Nabango, Kandiga, and Manyoro) as part of its alignment with the Mahama Government’s Nkoko Nkentenkete program.
Mrs. Cecilia Akolgo, one of the beneficiaries, expressed her gratitude to GAPNET, stating that this support will significantly stabilize their family’s economic situation and enhance their children’s education. Since introducing the community to Village Saving and Loans and providing training in guinea fowl and SASSO bird rearing, GAPNET has been a vital resource for the women of Yua.
Source:mywordfmonline.com/ Gaspard Ayuureneeya Adongo.