The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has received a US$ 5 million donation from the Republic of Korea to aid 187,000 drought-affected individuals in northern Ghana with food and nutrition support.
The contribution comes amid rising food prices and crop losses due to extended drought conditions.
The funding will facilitate emergency cash transfers to assist those struggling with food insecurity, exacerbated by poor seasonal production and earlier-than-usual depletion of household food stocks, a joint statement by the Republic Korea and the WFP said.
A report from the Northern Regional Department of Agriculture has revealed that 460,784 hectares of farmland, accounting for 60 per cent of the region’s cultivated land, have been severely impacted by the prolonged dry spell.
The drought has particularly affected the Bono, Bono East, Oti, Northern, North-East, Savannah, Upper East, and Upper West regions, with an estimated one million people—approximately 3 per cent of Ghana’s total population—being directly impacted by the crisis.
Madam Aurore Rusiga, WFP’s Country Director and Representative in Ghana, said that the prolonged dry spell in northern Ghana had created an urgent need for assistance for the affected families.
She said soaring inflation and currency depreciation had further exacerbated the situation, plunging these families into what she described as a “crisis within a crisis.”
“WFP appreciates the unwavering support from the Republic of Korea.
“Together with the Government of Ghana, we are committed to ensuring that the most affected families have access to diverse and sufficient food until the next harvest season.
“This contribution is a lifeline for many and a testament to the power of international solidarity,” Madam Rusiga said.
Mr. Park Kyong Sig, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Ghana, expressed Korea’s unwavering friendship with Ghana and pledged the country’s continued commitment to supporting Ghana, especially during times of hardship.
“This contribution is part of the pledge made by the Government of the Republic of Korea, as a founding member of the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty, to support the Republic of Ghana.
“Our contribution shows that the Republic of Korea is a steadfast friend of Ghana, standing side by side even in times of great hardship,” he said.
In Ghana, the WFP supports the country’s path to economic self-reliance by providing technical assistance and forging strategic partnerships aimed at enhancing nutrition, food systems, social protection, and social cohesion.
In the Ashanti and Bono regions, the WFP collaborates with two agro-processing companies that produce specialized nutritious foods, contributing to the fight against hunger in crisis-affected areas across the region.
Source: GNA
