Then Ganabi joined a farmer field school (FFS) managed by SPRING, USAID’s multi-sectoral nutrition project. The FFS trainings teach farmers good agronomic practices, which make it easier to grow and harvest healthier crops with greater yields.
Identifying a need for better hygiene in Yiziidug, in 2016, SPRING introduced community-led total sanitation (CLTS) to Yiziidug.
This instructional-based training video was developed by SPRING/Ghana as a video facilitation guide for agriculture extension agents (AEAs) to engage groundnut farmers in northern Ghana on some selected topics from the FFS training manual. The training video provides instructions in two sections: pre-harvest practices and post-harvest practices.
Groundnuts are a major legume crop in the northern regions of Ghana and provide important nutrients for physical development. When handled improperly, however, groundnuts can be toxic to humans.
Poverty is often a precursor to malnutrition. When families don’t have access to diverse diets and proper sanitation, the youngest members in the critical first 1,000 days, from pregnancy up to the child’s second birthday, suffer lifelong consequences that only further the cycle of poverty. Working with existing poverty alleviation programs is a natural entry point for nutrition programs seeking to reach the most vulnerable households.
In 2017, SPRING/Ghana started piloting Father-to-Father Support Groups in four communities in the Northern and Upper East Regions of Ghana. These groups are comprised of 15-17 men who meet twice per month to discuss family-oriented issues that include infant and young child feeding, household interaction and support, and male involvement in child welfare. These discussions are geared to improve men’s support to women within the household.
Stunting in children continues to be a public health challenge in Ghana, especially in Northern Ghana. In addition to inadequate dietary intake, poor water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) practices are a significant determinant of poor nutritional status.
An increasing number of agricultural projects and activities are working to meet nutrition-related objectives. Through an in-country review of key actors, mechanisms, and content areas, along with a review of relevant literature, SPRING documented information systems used in Northern Ghana to adopt and scale up new agricultural technologies and production practices. This paper provides an overview of the extension and advisory services and ICT used by the agriculture sector in northern Ghana and identifies opportunities to integrate nutrition programming into these systems.