Nutrition and agriculture project launched in Kwahu East District to benefit mothers and children

A project worth GH¢4.28 million has been launched to enhance the nutrition of mothers and children under five years old in Dwerebease, Kwahu East District, Eastern Region.

The one-year initiative, funded by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and implemented by the Hunger Project Ghana, aims to benefit communities in the Kwahu South Municipality as well.


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The project, according to Graphic Online, targets communities where inhabitants, predominantly peasant farmers, struggle with low income, particularly affecting their ability to maintain a balanced diet.

To address this, an epicentre has been established at Dwerebease to oversee the implementation of various components of the project.

Beneficiaries of the project include pregnant and lactating women, as well as children under five years old, in communities such as Dwerebease, Koranteng, Onyinso, and Abotransa. They will receive periodic food supplements and benefit from a demonstration farm aimed at educating them on the consumption and advantages of a nutritious diet.

Samuel Afrane, the Country Director of the Hunger Project Ghana, outlined that the project focuses on three key components: nutrition, agriculture, and Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH).

Nutritionally, the project will provide supplements like folic acid and vitamin A to improve iron content in the diet of pregnant and lactating women, as well as young children.

Agriculturally, the project will establish a demonstration farm to teach farmers best practices in cultivating crops such as maize and vegetables. Farmers will also receive agricultural inputs through soft loans to enhance production, with regular supervision by agricultural experts.

In terms of WASH, the project aims to set up 20 handwashing stations and construct sanitation facilities in schools in the beneficiary communities.

The initiative is a response to the observation that pregnant and lactating women, along with children under five, often do not have access to a nutritious diet.

The project aligns with efforts by local assemblies to improve nutrition and food crop cultivation. Odehyieba Frimpong Agyekum, the Kwahu South Municipal Planning Officer, emphasized the project's role in complementing existing efforts and expressed confidence in its sustainability in beneficiary communities.