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This is an archived USAID document retained on this web site as a matter of public record.
USAID Assistance to Ghana
U.S. AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
FACT SHEET
WASHINGTON, DC 20523
PRESS OFFICE
http://www.usaid.gov
(202) 712-43202003-027
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 5, 2003
USAID ASSISTANCE TO GHANA
BUDGET (in '000s) FY 2001
(Actual)FY 2002
(Estimated)FY 2003
(Request)Development Assistance/Child Survival $ 35,277 $ 34,918 $ 38,743 Economic Support Fund $ 4,500 $ 0 $ 0 PL 480 Title II $ 18,347 $ 13,251 $ 14,951 Democracy and Human Rights Fund $ 100 $ 75 TBD Special Self-Help Fund $ 66 $ 70 TBD Foreign Disaster Assistance $ 25 $ 0 TBD Total $ 58,315 $ 48,314 $ 53,694 Note: USAID's program in Ghana is one of eight direct U.S. assistance programs in West Africa, and USAID maintains a fully staffed office in Accra.
OBJECTIVES
The USAID/Ghana program focuses on the promotion of expanded free markets, increased trade and economic growth, increased literacy and educational opportunities, slowing the spread of infectious diseases, development and spread of participatory democracy, and respect for basic human rights.
MAJOR PROGRAM AREAS
Private Sector: USAID/Ghana's Trade and Investment Reform Program (TIRP) works to increase private-sector-led economic growth. Elements of the program include: promoting widespread public and private sector participation in policy change; providing technical assistance to increase the quality and variety of financial services; providing technical assistance to achieve sustainable increases in private enterprise production and marketing, especially in the area of non-traditional exports; improving service delivery of business associations; promoting private-sector tourism activities; and facilitating the provision of more sustainable supplies of energy and better energy demand management.
Education: Development assistance resources are funding a Primary Education Improvement Program that includes: training communities to participate in and support development of schools; training Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) members; constructing school classrooms and school latrines; providing technical assistance to improve classroom teaching and school management practices; training and providing technical assistance in planning, budgeting and management of financial and personnel resources; and awarding grants to district education offices to undertake school improvement activities.
Improved Family Health: The Improved Family Health Program includes: strengthening routine immunization and polio eradication; promotion of Integrated Case Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI); improving nutrition; marketing of impregnated bednets to reduce malaria; campaigns to improve prevention of HIV/AIDS; and surveillance and monitoring of HIV/AIDS.
Health: Activities include communication campaigns to increase the use of family planning, and training to increase the quality of service provision.
Democracy and Governance: USAID/Ghana's Democracy and Governance Program includes legislative strengthening activities with the national parliament, promotion of civil society interaction with local district administrations in ten districts, information technology support to key governance institutions as well as to non- governmental organizations (NGOs) in the governance sector, and support for anti-corruption initiatives.
OTHER PROGRAM AREAS
Economic Support Fund (ESF): ESF was established to promote economic and political stability in strategically important regions. In FY 2001, ESF helped support the newly elected Ghanaian government to undertake key economic reforms and stabilize the economy. ESF provided budget support via provision of local currency to help maintain essential health services that would otherwise be cut because of lack of resources.
Public Law 480 Title II (PL 480): Nearly 800 million in the world are "food insecure," and many live in sub-Saharan Africa. Chronic poverty, the persistent lack of economic opportunity either to produce adequate amounts of food or to exchange labor for income needed to purchase food in adequate amounts, is the chief cause of food insecurity. USAID, through funding provided by PL 480, makes commodity donations to cooperating sponsors to address the needs of food security in both through five-year development projects and through emergency food assistance. In Ghana, PL 480 Title II programs are used to develop sustainable rural enterprises, small-and micro-credit programs, potable water and sanitation facilities, training, and sanitation education that contribute to improved food security in rural areas, improve the quality of education in rural schools and support child survival activities.
Democracy and Human Rights Fund (DHRF): USAID supports this grants program which provides assistance to indigenous organizations that implement short-term, targeted country-level activities in support of human rights and democratic institutions. In Ghana, the DHRF program funds institutions to help prevent female genital mutilation and to conduct rehabilitation programs for women who have been trafficked.
Special Self-Help (SSH) Fund: SSH supports community-based activities that have an immediate impact. In Ghana, SSH supports activities in agriculture, health, education, and sanitation. SSH supported purchases of cassava processing equipment, peanut roasters with oil extraction presses, and shea butter processing equipment. SSH also supported construction of wells, health clinic treatment facilities, health clinic quarters for nurses, centers for employment skills training, a batik and tie-dye training center and primary school classrooms.
Collaborative Research Support Programs (CRSPs): CRSPs involve U.S. universities, developing government researchers and farmers worldwide in interactive research for improved crop productivity and technologies. West African countries collaborate in many of these CRSPs: sorghum and millet (7 countries), beans and cowpeas (seven countries), soil management (three countries), peanuts (five countries), integrated pest management (one country), SANRAM natural resource management (one country), and the West Africa inter-CRSP natural resource management (five countries). Ghana is involved in the peanuts, sorghum and millet, and beans and cowpeas programs.
Public-Private Alliance (PPA): The PPA-supported West African Water Initiative supports increased access to potable water in Ghana, Mali and Niger. The initiative encourages involvement among ten public and private sector partners, such as the Hilton Foundation, Winrock International and World Vision, with water development in each of these three countries. In northern Ghana, up to 600 water wells will be developed. A partnership is also being developed with the world's largest food selling chain, "Royal Ahold", and Michigan State University to strengthen the fruit and vegetable industry.
International Agriculture Research Centers (IARCs): IARCs are financed for eight collaborative research networks in various countries throughout West and East Africa. These programs develop and disseminate improved varieties and technologies for crops such as rice, corn, sorghum, and millet. Capacity building and networking for government researchers and farmers are important activities financed through these Centers.
Grants Program: This program allows U.S. private volunteer organizations (PVOs) to submit proposals for USAID funding to match the U.S. PVO's funding through a competitive, annual selection process. For example, a FY 1998-FY 2003 matching grant was awarded to Opportunities Industrialization Centers, Int'l. Inc. (OICI) to help people in Ghana and two other African countries to improve entrepreneurial skills and support services for micro-enterprise development. The Adventist Development and Relief Agency Int'l, Inc. (ARDA) is working in Ghana and Peru (FY 2000-FY 2005) to enhance economic opportunities and increase living standards among marginalized groups. A FY 2001-FY 2006 child survival grant was awarded to Plan International to improve the health of children under five years and their mothers.
Ocean Freight Reimbursement Program: Since 1961 USAID has operated this program to subsidize registered U.S. PVOs for their ocean freight transportation costs. Sixteen U.S. PVOs have agreements to import selected commodities into Ghana under this program.
Farmer-to-Farmer Program (FTF): Since 1986 USAID has offered this program worldwide to assist farmers in increasing food production and distribution through the expertise of U.S. farmers and other volunteers from cooperatives and agribusinesses. In Ghana and several other countries, Winrock International (WI) has a seven-year agreement to help increase food quantity and quality, improve efficiency and environmental sustainability of farming and marketing operations through U.S. volunteers. Partners of the Americas (Partners) has a seven-year agreement under this program to help increase food quantity and quality, improve efficiency and environmental sustainability of farming and marketing operations, and promote increased local participation in Ghana, as well as several other countries.
Child Survival Grants Program: Since 1985 USAID has invested congressionally directed child survival funds in community-based child survival programs implemented by U.S. PVOs and their local partners. A five-year, Project Concern International (PCI) activity in Ghana is promoting improved family health through the development of district health plans, conducting training for district health workers, and increasing community capacities to better manage illness and improve health.
Peace Corps Small Project Assistance (SPA) Program: The SPA program facilitates local grass-roots efforts by combining Peace Corps Volunteers' knowledge of local conditions with USAID's technical and financial resources. In Ghana, approximately 140 volunteers work in environment/forestry; small enterprise development; health water sanitation; and education.
Strategies and Analyses for Growth and Access (SAGA) Project: SAGA provides technical assistance and small research grants that strengthen the capacities of national African economic research institutions. SAGA works through the Secretariat for Institutional Strengthening of Economic Research in Africa (SISERA) which is made up of 18 national economic research institutes, including the Centre d'Orientation et de Recherche en Compétitivité, en Economie et en Décision Organisationelle (CORCEDO) in Ghana.
Tree Crop Program: The Sustainable Tree Crop Program promotes sustainable tree crop systems, including coffee cocoa, gum arabic and cashews, by engaging public and private sector entities to enter into partnerships, as well as to focus on resolution of child trafficking concerns and development issues related to production and marketing of tree crops, such as cocoa. The program promotes conservation and bio-diversity while encouraging production and marketing policies that stimulate income generation.
West African Regional Program (WARP): WARP provides funding to a number of public and private sector regional organizations on region-wide issues of economic integration, health, nutrition, food security, environment, natural resources management, and conflict prevention. Health activities include HIV/AIDS prevention, technical support to enhance clinical services delivery, training of health workers, and dissemination of health messages. As a member of ECOWAS*, Ghana participates in WARP-funded studies and analyses that provide data used in the formulation of policy, the development and promulgation of legislation and regulations, and the design and implementation of region-wide program activities. Ghana is also a beneficiary of training and technical assistance activities related to the legal and regulatory frameworks for the private sector-financed, West Africa gas pipeline, as well as the West Africa electricity power pool grids being developed for ECOWAS member states.
* Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) -- Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Côte d'Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
The U.S. Agency for International Development has provided economic and humanitarian assistance worldwide for more than 40 years.
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