About 77 thousand farmers in the savannah ecological zone willbenefit from a 4-year programme which will lift them above the povertylevel of which 15 percent would be women.

The programme is aninitiative of MADE Ghana with support from DFID. Other supporting agencies include the Savannah Agriculture Research Institute, Centrefor Scientific and Industrial Research and MOFA.

The MADE GHANA programme will make interventions to enhance productivity through improved seeds and agronomic practices, producing the right variety, and targeting markets where these will be readily sold for a varietyof crops and livestock. 

At a media  orientation programme in Bolgatanga, a Communications Specialist with MADE Ghana, CarolineTsikata, says the programme would take off initially in the UpperEast, West and Northern Regions and would rely on communication,marketing and advocacy for it's success.

 A Media Consultant, Edward Ameyibor, said the role of the mediain the sustainability of MADE Ghana is very critical and journalistsmust take a lead role to support the programme which would see farmerselevated from the poverty level. Mr. Ameyibor reminded journalists inthe Region that they need to go into the trenches to inform theoutside world of the challenges the three Regions in the north face.Most of the challenges he noted could be overcome if the media playtheir expected role of ensuring that all players in the programme arewell informed about MADE coordinated activities.