The World Bank Board of Directors approved additional financing for the second phase of the West Africa Food System Resilience Program (FSRP) to support Ghana's efforts in mitigating food insecurity and enhancing resilient food systems. The financing totals $125.94 million, sourced through a blend of International Development Association (IDA) credit and a grant from the Food Systems 2030 Multi Donor Trust Fund. These funds aim to replenish resources previously allocated to aid farmers affected by floods and droughts and to boost sustainable intensification of tomato production.
The initiative will finance digital advisory services designed to improve agricultural and food crisis management by providing better access to data concerning weather patterns, nutrition, and food security. These services will also enhance pest and disease monitoring. Moreover, the program will invest in the sustainability and adaptive capacity of the food system, encouraging environmentally friendly agricultural practices that can withstand environmental and economic disruptions.
In addition, the program will foster regional food market integration and trade to secure food supplies across borders.
"This additional financing is provided to help Ghana recover from the economic and environmental shocks, while restoring funding for long-term investments needed to strengthen agricultural resilience and reduce vulnerability to future disruptions," stated Abel Lufafa, Practice Manager for Agriculture and Food Security at the World Bank. "It is part of a broader effort to address the rapidly deteriorating food security situation in West and Central Africa."
The FSRP commenced in 2022 with the goal of addressing food insecurity and reinforcing food system resilience in West Africa. It currently includes eight countries, namely Burkina Faso, Chad, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo, along with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel (CILSS), and the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research (CORAF). The newly approved funding elevates the total FSRP financing to $1.170 billion.