FONG's Maize Cluster Strengthening Programme The Farmers’ Organization Network in Ghana (FONG) is an apex body of small scale farmer and fisher based organizations in Ghana. It was established in 2003 with the vision to make farming an attractive business venture for small scale operators. FONG’s mission is to enable the formation of a network of small scale farmers and fisher based organizations in Ghana, to empower individuals and members in order to contribute to agriculture development, economic growth and sustainable use of natural resources. FONG is a member of the network of Peasant organizations and Producers in West Africa (ROPPA).

Ghana is pursuing efforts to modernize the agricultural sector as agriculture is a vital contributor to economic growth, food security and poverty reduction. About 65% of the members of FONG are women. FONG, in collaboration with Collectif Strategies Alimentaires asbl (CSA), Belgium participated in a study entitled “Roles of Farmer Organizations in ECOWAS and UEMOA Countries – The Case of Ghana”. The study revealed numerous challenges faced by farmers in their farmer – led economic activities as well as their capacity building needs. The study established that, maize farmers were facing numerous challenges in their production activities. 

Notable among these were high post harvest loses, reliance on the sun for drying the crop, inadequate storage facilities, high cost of tauplin among others. Regarding maize marketing challenges, the farmers cannot take advantage of the following markets because they cannot produce to the required quality: World Food Programme, Ghana Grains Council and the School Feeding Programme. The proposed Maize Cluster Strengthening Programme provides post harvest efficiency training to 60 Maize FBO Cluster leaders. 

Furthermore the study identified among others record keeping and price negotiation as the most pressing training need in the area of production and marketing. The 60 FBO leaders engaged in maize production would also benefit from the Maize Cluster Strengthening Programme and be trained in record keeping and price negotiation. 

For sustainability of the training programme, each FBO leader trained would go back and train his FBO members within their communities. If each FBO leader trains 50 of his members supervised by FONG secretariat, a total of 3000 farmers would benefit from the training over time. As a result a total of 3000 farmers would benefit from this project.

The overall objective of the project is three folded: reduce post harvest losses, increase bargaining power and improve the household food security.

The specific objectives of the project are to:
1. support maize growers in their economic related activities through: 
a. Maize Cluster Strengthening Programme; 
b. Capacity building for maize cluster in record keeping and price negotiation.
2. monitor and evaluate the activities of FONG; 
3. support and facilitate the main function of FONG, as it has a national secretariat co-ordinating the activities of the network. 

Expected Output:
1. 30 FBO’s are trained in post harvest efficiency (with an outreach of 1500 farmers); 
2. 3000 farmers have increased knowledge concerning record keeping and price negotiation;
3. Monitoring and evaluation of FONG national and zonal activities conducted;
4. Utilities are available for the functioning of the national secretariat.

In total, 3000 farmers will be reached of which 1950 are women.

Reduce maize post harvest losses and increase household food security