The Regional Agricultural Investment Coordination Unit (RAICU) has been inaugurated in the Upper East Region to enhance agricultural investment and development.
The main objective of RAICU is to establish a common platform that ensures equitable distribution of agricultural investments across the region, thereby avoiding the duplication of interventions by different funders and NGOs in one section while other areas remain underserved.
RAICU, the first of its kind in the region, aims to maintain a comprehensive database of all agricultural activities in the Upper East Region. This database will serve as a reference for investors and intervention programs, allowing them to channel their resources effectively without overlapping with existing efforts.
This strategic approach is expected to optimize the impact of agricultural investments and foster balanced development throughout the region.
The activities of the Regional Agricultural Investment Coordination Unit (RAICU) will receive support from Ghana Policy Link through its project, Feed the Future (FtF), funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Osman Lantana, Bolgatanga Municipal Director of Agriculture, speaking on behalf of the regional directorate of the Department of Agriculture, emphasized the significance of sustaining RAICU beyond the initial support period.
With Policy Link having two years left in its program, Madam Lantana urged RAICU members to actively seek additional funding to maintain the unit’s operations.
“We are looking at reaching out to other organizations that have an interest in what we are doing so that if Policy Link folds up after its remaining two years, then we have others supporting. We also think that the membership, made up of different stakeholders, should be able to do some fundraising to be able to sustain RAICU,” she stated.
Yunus Abdulai, Country Lead with Policy Link, assured continued support for RAICU’s activities and encouraged members to take ownership of the unit’s functions, ensuring its sustainability beyond the Policy Link program.
By enhancing collaboration and coordination, Mr. Abdulai said the unit aims to create a more efficient and effective agricultural sector that can contribute significantly to the region’s economic growth and food security.
The membership of RAICU is diverse, comprising the Peasant Association of Ghana, Commercial Farmers Association, Women in Agriculture, NGOs, research scientists, the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC), and input dealers, among others. This diverse representation is expected to foster inclusive decision-making and comprehensive planning for agricultural investments in the region.
The revitalization of the unit, which ran two phases from 2012-2015 and 2015-2018 with funding from USAID but ended due to lack of funding among other reasons, aims to address the challenges that led to its dormancy and to enhance its role in promoting sustainable agricultural development in the region.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Bolgatanga|Ghana