Activity Post

TEERE-German Embassy Small Scale Project launched in Gowrie.

• September 29, 2017,
• Venue Gowrie, Bongo.

TEERE on the 29th of September, 2017 at the Gowrie Social Center in the Bongo District launched its support for women in dry season farming project. The occasion was graced by the presence of the Bongo District Director of Agriculture, Extension Officers, Assembly men and the media. The beneficiaries were drawn from women members of TEERE Village Savings and Loans who are into the dry season farming. These women totaled 50 beneficiaries drawn from Vea, Nyariga, Lungu Gowrie and Adaboya communities in the Bongo District.

This is a German embassy sponsored project aimed at improving the livelihood of the beneficiaries. Specifically, the project seeks to create employment to economically empower women to reduce poverty. This ultimately will reduce the risk of women migrating down south in the dry season.

At the end of the project it is expected that the participants and their households should be able to live above the minimum purchasing power parity (PPP) of $1.25 to about $2.5. this income would be made possible by increasing the the farm size of the women to about 1 acre each of vegetable farm. There should be a multiplier effect such that each of the 50 beneficiaries can employ about five farm hands who should preferably be women. This will enhance the ability of the women to make their own economic decisions.

The CEO of TEERE, Prof. Avea Nsoh commended the effort of the beneficiaries. He also commended the support of all stakeholders in the project. He expressed his gratitude to the Bongo District Director of Agriculture for his commitment and input into the implementation plan of the project. He indicated the project is meant to support the less priviledged in society especially women. He was hopeful the project will help the women buy more shares in their various VSLA groups. Prof. Avea Nsoh pledged as and when more support comes to TEERE, the project will be extended to other women in the district and eventually the whole region. He also cautioned the women to work deligently to improve their livelihood and to make it possible for other women to benefit from the project expansion.

The Bongo District Director of Agriculture lauded the effort of TEERE to help support the women in dry season. He pledged his commitment to ensure the extension officers designated to the project work efficiently. He encouraged the women that they could earn appreciably in cultivating a small farm size with good agricultural practices in the dry season. He encouraged the women to start the cultivation very early in the season to ensure they maximise their harvest.

The CEO handed over farm inputs such as water pumps and accessories, knap sack sprayers, pesticides, bags of fertilizer and seeds. The project has also made arrangement for extension services to be at the disposal of the beneficiaries. TEERE field officers are to regularly visit the beneficiaries to report on the progress of work. For the local ownership of the project, local management committees comprising of local political authorities, representative of women and TEERE have been established to ensure the safety of the equipment and the sustainability of the project.

On the part of the women, a representatve commended TEERE and the German Embassy for their assistance. They also pledged their commitment to the project and are willing to work hard in other to make the project a success. They also indicated the project is timely to enhance their savings to the VSLAs.

WE WISH ALL BENEFICIARIES A FRUITFUL DRY SEASON FARMING!!!!