While this morning started out QUITE slow, (I was still sleepy from the big day of sight seeing with the board from Tuesday) it finally picked up after lunch and didn’t stop until 7 p.m.!
1. A highlight today was skyping with a former volunteer. I am testing the feasibility of staff creating ICT pieces such as making small podcasts for local radios using volunteer knowledge as well as short videos of their experiences. I’m excited to take notes of the lessons learned from our conversation as well as start editing the audio to get prepared for the Soundslides video. It was really nice to get to talk with a former volunteer about their experiences AND someone I will get to collaborate on for posters on soil health and plant insects and disease that can be pictorial and a visual resource for farmers, regardless of language. (Oh the ease with which one gets sidetracked! The comment on noting the lessons learned couldn’t wait so I typed that up, then chose which audio recording I liked best and then proceeded to start editing the audio. I got up to use the restroom, which made me realize that there was a blog post I had started… :)
2. Yesterday the ACDI/VOCA Board members were in Tamale learning about the project. I spent an amazing day with the family, photographing the sight-seeing adventure! I had the opportunity to meet some great people and by dinnertime had promised one family member to get her some 100% real shea butter that was produced near the office in Tamale. Wanting to be true to my word, I walked to the facility in the morning and bought some shea butter. A few staff members from Accra were in town so I found one with luggage space to take the shea butter to Accra. We worked out a system and I passed it off to the driver so it would be with the group- ready to go so no one would forget it at the office. I did my part in handing it to a very trustworthy driver and am happy I was able to keep my promise. Hopefully it ends up in (and on) the right hands next Saturday.
3. Lunch was a pretty good experience today. For the first time we ordered food to be picked up (we were told it would take an hour to be ready- hence calling ahead). Usually you sacrifice at least 1.5 hours to eat at a restaurant, which can include travel time and often deters from a very exciting lunch. So the hungry volunteers ordered food and when it was time, I hoped on a bike and cycled to the restaurant. I was impressed! The food was ready and waiting. The containers were labeled and the receipt was ready to go- I was thoroughly impressed with organization and preparedness of the pick up. I believe we should do this more often (and take turns cycling- although it does help to work up an appetite! :)
4. I almost forgot why I had been a little late in leaving the office to pick up lunch. After placing the order, a colleague and I planned my next brochure. I made a few brochures in October for some of the agriculture groups we work with and only one or two since then. Our project is now getting ready to roll out farm equipment grants where a farmer orders and pays for 50% of a piece of machinery to an equipment dealer who then makes or orders the product. Upon delivery to the farmer, the project pays the remainder of the bill.
I’m excited to make a brochure for farmers and test out some of the lessons I’ve been learning (incorporate photos, use visuals, minimize words, marketing to Northern Ghana farmers by including aspects important to the culture, etc.).
What I like about this project is that it is not a hand out. On their side, the farmers are showing their need and commitment for the equipment by paying half the bill. On our side, we are helping farmers become ‘mechanized,’ which improves productivity and yields, leading to higher incomes. I use ‘mechanized’ because the equipment could range from a dibbler to a tractor operated thresher (created in Northern Ghana, a dibbler has a push bar and 1-5 wheels with pegs that poke holes in a straight line, which allows one to plant faster than by hand and increases the number of plants (and thus yield) per acre. A thresher for maize/corn separates the kernels from the cob which decrease post-harvest loss and increases quality of product over the traditional method (beating the cobs with sticks until the kernels come off).
Some of the equipment is produced specifically for and in Ghana, aiding the local economy. This type of investment in farmers also helps overcome financial barriers. First off, many farmers can’t afford the machinery at full price, but will still need some level of savings in order to participate. Secondly, banks are hesitant to provide small loans to farmers because of the high costs of processing the paper work and the low repayment rates. While we are working with banks to increase accessible ag loans, they are not readily available throughout the country. Finally, with bank loan interest rates an average of 30%, who can afford to borrow?
I hope the brochure 1. does the project justice and 2. markets the grants in an easily understood format for farmers, regardless of literacy.
NOTE: This is my analysis of the grants projects. While I was given the information of how the project would operate in order to make the brochure, most of the analysis I am providing is what I have observed and the impact I expect to see from this project, which is why I am so excited to see it roll out and help with the brochure!
5. I also found out an expat in Tamale wants to lead an informal yoga class so just the idea of doing some stretching creates happy thoughts!
No comments:
Post a Comment