The Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA), an international economic development organisation based in Canada, has signed a Matching Grant Agreement with 10 shea processing groups and enterprises under a cost-sharing arrangement.
The Agreement, being implemented by the MEDA’s Farmers’ Economic Advancement through Seedlings (FEATS) project in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions, sought to advance shea butter production and improve their livelihoods.
The project, funded by Government of Canada, would improve the economic well-being of farmers in export-linked tree crops industries, by supporting the expansion and completion of existing, but stalled shea processing structures, establishment and stocking of new processing centres with storage facilities and equipment and building the capacity of shea cooperative executives to increase production of quality shea butter.
At separate ceremonies in Bognaayili, Bolgatanga and Wa in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions over the weekend, Mr Robert Austin, the Country Director of MEDA FEATS Project said the underlying philosophy of the project was to create business solutions to alleviate poverty.
He re-affirmed FEATS Project’s commitment to supporting women and small businesses to grow through “sustainable initiatives and partnerships that have the potential to outlive the life of the FEATS project itself”.
This, the Country Director believed, would be guaranteed, if local structures were put in place to support systems and ensure proper record keeping throughout the implementation of the initiatives.
“It is for this reason that MEDA FEATS Project actively engaged all beneficiary groups to arrive at the specific type of support each group or enterprise needed to improve their business and in effect, improve the livelihood of its members and their families,” he said.
GNA