Ghana - Return home, return to the land

18 September 2019

(ANS - Sunyani) - In Africa young people continue to be the greatest resource for building a future of food and industrial self-sufficiency. Precisely for this reason, the awarding of diplomas to the Salesian Agricultural School of Sunyani that took place this summer is indeed newsworthy. This recognition marks a stage in the journey started a few years ago in carrying out the "Stop Trafficking" campaign, launched to counter the illegal migration phenomenon.

The first agriculture course in Ghana took place in 2016. Subsequently, two others were held annually, for a total of 93 students, vulnerable boys and girls and migrants returning to Ghana. They have learned to grow organically and to use new structures such as greenhouses. This solution allows to increase the harvest, since crops can be cultivated even during the dry season and the annual distribution of the produce can be better managed.

Greenhouse crops are also an excellent deterrent against deforestation and climate change, as they do not need much space and prevent peasants from having to cut new virgin forest to make it cultivable.

The teaching of organic agriculture is only the first step in reaching the most vulnerable young people and returning migrants, seeking together with them to promote sustainable development in Ghana. Four of the best students benefited from the development fund set up just after the conclusion of the last course. Part of this development fund - FATOUD (Fund for Agriculture and Tourism Development) - is completely dedicated to microcredit. From these small projects one starts to build a different future for Ghanaian farmers!

The awarding of the certificates to the boys and girls who participated in the three courses in Organic Farming took place with the utmost officiality, both to give due recognition to the graduates, and to send signals to future students.

Present were the project manager of the PDO AFW (Project Development Office of the Salesians of Don Bosco West Africa) Benson Boateng; Federica Ruggia, the VIS local administrator; the Director of the Salesian community of Sunyani, Fr Robertson Sung; and the "Queen Mother" of Senase, namely Nana Owusu Fakyiwaa, historical local partner of the VIS and of the Salesians.

The organic agriculture course was funded by Missioni Don Bosco, the Turin Mission Office. More information on the project is available on their website: https://news.missionidonbosco.org

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ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007.

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