The project, which would span five years, is being funded at a cost of $25 million by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under its Feed the Future programme.

The US Ambassador, Mr. Robert P. Jackson, speaking at the launch of the project yesterday, explained that it was part of the US government’s effort to reduce poverty in northern Ghana, with particular focus on women, by addressing the local environmental, agricultural, governance and natural resource management challenges.

“This project will work with communities across northern Ghana to harness their natural resources and ensure sustainable long term prosperity,” the Ambassador stated.

He was very optimistic that with the involvement of chiefs and other stakeholders, the environment and natural resources would be protected.

Mr. Jackson said the project would introduce climate -smart technologies, so that farmers would feed their families.

“We are strengthening value chains for key crops like shea and moringa,” he stated.

The Ambassador, therefore, charged all to protect the environment for future generations.

“Let us be good stewards of the earth we inherited,” the Ambassador emphasised.

The Northern Regional Minister, Mr. Abubakari Abdulah, commended the US government for its continous support to alleviating poverty in the area.

He was happy that the project was not only to sustain the environment but would reduce poverty as well as helping to improve the health status of the people in the area.