(no title)

Advance policies to secure Women’s access to Land – SWIDA to government

On the World day to Combat Desertification and Drought, the Savanna Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Ghana), called on governments and traditional leaders, to foster collaborations to develop and advance policies pertaining to access to land by women.

SWIDA-Ghana highlighted the need for women to not only have access to land, but have that documented, to secure ownership and ensure resilience.

This year’s theme on the World day to Combat Desertification and Drought is “Her Land, her rights; advancing Equality and Land Restoration goals”.

The global spot light is on Women’s land rights, on the back of which SWIDA-Ghana’s Executive Director, Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed reminded the government to consider building strong partnerships to ensure policies and strategies to achieve women’s secured access to land, is sustainable.

Hajia Alima was quick to recognize the partnership SWIDA-Ghana has built so far with other organizations to help advocate and push for women’s rights and sustainable access to land, including the African Women’s Development Fund and the World Food Programme.

Pictures: SWIDA-Gh Partners with WFP to Digitalize VSLA

SWIDA-Ghana in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), is expected to implement a VSLA Digitalization project in the Karaga District.

First, SWIDA-Ghana conducted a training for its staff members on how the application functions.

The consulting firm for the project is from Denmark, with experience in similar projects across Africa….

SWIDA-Gh Facilitates Community Session in Kumbungu

Field officers of Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Gh) have been holding a Community Dialogue with women groups, men groups and community leaders in the Dul Zugu community in Kumbungu.

As the organization implements the Women’s Innovation for Sustainable Enterprises (WISE) project, focusing on unpaid care work and enhancing women’s participation in leadership and decision-making, the Flash Cards have been identified as the best tool for community engagement.

Flash cards are educational materials using pictures to facilitate community discussions, especially for persons who cannot read in English.

In the use of the Flash Card, all participants understand the discussions taking place and actively get involved and interactive.

SWIDA-Gh is currently implementing the WISE project in 15 communities in Kumbungu, with support from Plan International Ghana.

Photos: SWIDA-Gh Director Moderates Climate Change Meeting

Executive Director for SWIDA-Ghana moderating discussions on “Gender sensitive climate policy approaches to implementing adaptation and mitigation measures” at the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET) Compact Technical Consultations on addressing Climate Change.

Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed was selected for this role, based on her long years of experience working with women farmers across Northern Ghana. Photos below…

Attainment of SDGs Requires Participation of Women as Role Models

The activities on the support for women farmers in climate-smart farming in the various communities in northern Ghana are supported by the World Food Programme and the Global Fund for Women.

Executive Director for Savannah Women Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Gh), Hajia Alima Sagito Saeed has called for active involvement of women as role models to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Referencing goals five and 10 which target gender equality, she said it was important for women who survived various degrees of inequalities, to act act as role models in their communities to serve as inspiration to other young women who aspired for greatness.

Hajia Alima made this call at this year’s annual summit of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), organized by the University for Development Studies (UDS) Local Chapter and supported by SWIDA-Gh, Songtaba and RAINS.

She said it was unfortunate that most women who had escaped various forms of abuses did not want to advocate for the right of others.

“If you’re privileged to have escaped child marriage, when you get back to your community, act as a role model to justify why young women should be given the opportunity to access education” Hajia Alima emphasized.

For her part, Hajia Iddrisu Mariam Bugala, CEO of Girls to Women Foundation, said the low representation of women in various leadership positions required that women rose to the occasion, by being advocates against issues that impede their education in major decision-making processes in the country.

SWIDA-Gh’s Follow up Activity after Training Women Farmers

As part of empowerment actions for women farmers in northern Ghana, SWIDA-Ghana has been providing them training on how to help them maximize gains on the field.

The climate-smart farming methods on which the organization has been training the women farmers, include largely the use of nature-based solutions on the farm.

The farmers also received training in other instances on right seed choices and application, as well as water conservation.

The right agronomic practices and agricultural advisory services training is also on going in the various communities, where many of the farmers have started planting soybean and maize as the farming season continues to unfold.

These activities are carried out for women farmers in communities in Karaga, Kumbungu, Tolon, Mion and West Gonja Districts and Savelugu Municipality.

Ghana Federation of Forest and Farm Producers (GhaFFaP) Commends Government of Ghana for institution of Green Ghana Day

The Ghana Federation of Forest & Farm Producers (GhaFFaP) has commended the Government of the Republic of Ghana for dedicating a Day specifically for the planting of trees in our communities, degraded forests, off-reserve areas, parklands, open places, school compounds to restore the country’s vegetation thereby creating a greener nation.

These remarks were made during the 2023 Green Ghana Day celebration. A statement issued in Accra by the National President for the Federation (GhaFFaP), Hajia Alima Sagito-Saeed in commemoration of the Day said the theme for this year’s Green Ghana Day which falls on Friday 9 June 2023 “Our Forest: Our Health is in order and at the right time.

This she said because Forests are essential to human health and there is strong connection between healthy people(nation) and existence of forest cover. Forests support our health in many ways that may not be visible. For example, Forests filter our air that support our health, regulate water cycles, and also help mitigate the hazardous effects of climate change through carbon sequestration.

The GhaFFaP National President again stated that the planting of trees in our communities, school compounds, other open spaces, river banks should be a concern for all citizens especially Forest and Farm Producers Organizations (FFPOs) and a major priority for the nation.

Scientific evidence demonstrates that spending time around trees helps boost our immune system, lowers blood pressure and promotes relaxation. The means Forests existence and Public health can never be separated from each other.

The GhaFFaP President further advised all Forest and Farm Producer organizations (FFPOs), stakeholders and partners that planting trees to restore degraded forests implies that we are all supporting an integrated better health approach for people.

She indicated that as part of efforts to support the Government’s Green Ghana Day policy, GhaFFaP has deliberately put in place a 3G Initiative in its Agenda 2030 document which is expected to ensure the conservation of our forests for our future generations will be our topmost priority while creating an enabling environment for forest and farm producer Organizations investment through increased tree planting, sustainable and diversified livelihoods, and integrated land restoration Activities.

Finally she said GhaFFaP as a national Federation is always committed to building strong synergies and partnership with government Ministries/Departments/Agencies especially the Ministry of Lands & Natural Resources, Forestry Commission, Metropolitan/Municipal & District Assemblies etc and other private sector stakeholders under the GhaFFaP 3G initiative to restore the country’s degraded forest landscapes through Collaborative Approach.

SWIDA-Ghana Calls for Protection of Shea Tree as Support for Women’s Economic Empowerment

According to the Executive Director for the Savannah Women’s Integrated Development Agency (SWIDA-Ghana), Hajia Alimah Sagito-Saeed, the shea is considered “cocoa” for women in the north and they make money out of it during its peak season, therefore all stakeholders must endeavor to support in protecting the commodity.

Hajia Alimah made this call when she interacted with Mma Amina, a woman who is involved in the picking and processing of the shea into butter.

The Executive Director expressed excitement meeting with Mma Amina, as she offered to help her with her load.

SWIDA-Ghana has over the years been supporting women in diverse ways to help empower them and to improve their economic well-being.

SWIDA-Ghana Conducts Community Entry on New Project

The Community entry engagement activity was with chiefs, religious/traditional leadership, youth leaders and ‘magazias’ (women leaders).

This was on Plan International Ghana’s Women’s Innovation for Sustainable Enterprises (WISE) project implementation.

The project, focusing on unpaid care work and increasing women’s participation in decision making, also looks at raising women’s economic well-being through innovation and leadership approaches.