Agricultural Project Kiafa Youth Career Planning Center

February 15, 2006

 

1.0 Brief Description

 

The project will provide direct support to young refugee farmers at the Buduburam Refugee Settlement in Ghana. The expected support includes, but is not limited to provision of tools, seeds of exotic vegetables, and agro-chemicals.  Other essential farming inputs include for revolving funds for production and management of farm(s) under the Kiafa Youth Career Planning Center. The Center will coordinate the implementation of the project, and provide technical guidance.

 

1.1 Background /Justification

 

The Liberian Refugee Settlement is situated about 45 kilometers from Accra, at Buduburam in Central Region, Ghana.  The settlement was established in 1990 to host Liberian Refugees escaping the Armed Insurrection against the government of Liberia, which later developed into a full-scale war.  The camp is established on a 140 acre parcel of land originally intended to host 5,000 refugees, but has now become home to over 42,000 refugees.

 

The Liberian Refugee Welfare Council of the Buduburam Settlement provides liaison between the refugee communities and the Camp Management, United Nations High Commission for Refugee (UNHCR), International aid agencies, Non government Organizations, and Community Based Organization. The settlement is comprised of 12 zones.

 

The Kiafa Youth Career Planning Center places importance on agriculture as its primary strategy for income generation and food security, for the following reasons:

1)      Most of the essential food commodities consumed in the settlement, especially assorted vegetable items are purchased from Accra and sold at increasingly high prices at the refugee market close to the settlement. Essential food items for the refugees are not readily available at affordable prices to the refugees.

2)      Job Opportunities for the refugee negligible to non-existent, while purchasing power is no different. The food security situation on the camp can sometimes be appalling.  A few fortunate refugees obtain their daily sustenance from remittances from relatives or friends from industrialized countries. These remittances are inadequate, irregular, and cannot meet more than 40% of the food required.

3)      In 2003, the UNHCR reported that 1,438 children and 1,000 adults suffered from micronutrients deficiencies, and over 200 children were malnourished.  The actual figure of malnourished children and elderly is considered higher than the stated figure. Thus the need to support the food needs for the refugees is rather urgent. 

The nature of support could include direct supply of food commodities to the refugees, or means for the youth refugee farmers themselves to produce commodities that could be sold at reduced rates to the inhabitants as well as subsidizing their own nutritional needs.

 

1.2 Beneficiaries
 

The refugee community and the local population in the Buduburam Refugee Settlement are estimated at 42,000 residents.  22 youth farmers each in 4 farming groups in Buduburam will be the main beneficiaries of the vegetable production project, acquiring requisite skills and generating income simultaneously.

 

1.3 Objectives:

 

The objectives of this project are:

1)      To teach needed skills in farming to the youth.

2)      To provide tools and various production inputs in order to assist the youth refugee farmers at Kiafa Youth Career Planning Center.

3)      To help in providing food and income for the youth to sustain them and their families.

 

1.4 Target:

 

At least 400 to 500 youth refugee farmers with improved agricultural skills producing quality vegetables for consumption at the refugee settlement and other markets. 

 

1)      A revolving fund for youth refugee farmers.

2)      Organizational arrangement for coordinating activities for support of youth refugee farmers in and around the settlement.

3)      Irrigation implements (including wells) to avail water for vegetable production.

 

1.5 Project Duration:

 

Table 1

 

#	ACTIVITIES	TIME DURATION	RESPONSIBILITY
1.	Group Identification	1 month	Kiafa Youth Career Planning Center
2.	Land preparation and nursery	1 month	Youth farmers/ experienced farmers
3.	Transplanting	1 month	Farmers & Youth
4.	Weeding & Fertilization	1 month	Farmers & Youth
5.	Harvesting & Marketing	1 month	KYCPC/ Farmers
6.	Monitoring & Reporting	1 month	Donor Organizations & KYCPC
7.	Seed Multiplication/ processing	2months	Farmers/ KYCPC
8.	Final Reporting	1 month	Kiafa Youth Career Planning Center
9.	Total Duration	9 Months	KYCPC, Donor Org. & Farmers

  

 

1.6 Budgetary Allotments

 

Table 2: Tools Input

 

#	Item Description	Quantity	Unit Price	Total Cost
1	Cutlasses	20	18,000	360,000
2	Shovels	10	30,000	300,000
3	Hoes	10	18,000	180,000
4	Diggers	5	30,000	150,000
5	Rakes	20	20,000	400,000
6	Pitch Forks	10	30,000	300,000
7	Knapsack Spray Cans	2	600,000	1,200,000
8	Wheel Barrows	4	325,000	1,300,000
9	Buckets	10	12,000	120,000
10	Watering Cans	10	48,000	480,000
11	Grand Total (cedis)			4,790,000
	Grand Total ($US)			$  527.82

 

Table 3: Seeds & Scions

 

#	Item Description	Quantity (cans/packs)	Unit Price	Total Cost
1	Tomato seeds	4	11,000	44,000
2	Okra	3	9,000	27,000
3	Pepper	2	11,000	22,000
4	Cabbage	2	12,000	24,000
5	Onions	2	12,000	24,000
6	Water Melons	2	11,000	22,000
7	Collard Greens	3	10,000	30,000
8	Cucumber	2	12,000	24,000
9	Bitter Balls (Eggplant)	2	12,000	24,000
10	Beans (assorted)	4	12,000	48,000
11	Peanuts	3	9,000	27,000
12	Egg Plants	2	9,000	18,000
13	Lettuce	2	12,000	24,000
14	Carrots	2	12,000	24,000
15	Yam Scions	100	3,000	300,000
16	Eddoes	100	3,000	300,000
17	Potatoes	200	1,000	200,000
18	Cassava Sticks	2,400	-	100,000
19	Grand Total (cedis)			1,282,000
	Grand Total ($US)			$ 141.27

 

Table 4: Other Requirements

 

#	Description	Quantity	Unit Cost	Total Cost
1	Land acquisition	9 acres	150,000.00 per acre yearly x 1 ½	2,025,000
2	Cost of Plowing	3acres	175,000.00 x 3	525,000
3	Fertilizer	1bag	250,000	250,000
4	Insecticides	5 cans	75,000	375,000
5	Manure	10 bags	5,000	50,000
6	Grand Total (cedis)			3,225,000
	Grand Total ($US)			$ 355.37

 

Budget Summary

 

Table 5:

 

Description	Quantity	Total Cost
Land Acquisition & Preparation	9 Acres	2,550,000
Tools & Equipment	Assorted	4,790,000
Seeds and Scions	Assorted	1,282,000
Chemicals & Fertilizers		675,000
Sub Total		9,297,000
Contingency	10% of Total	929,700
Grand Total (cedis)		10,226,700
Grand Total ($US)		$  1,126.91
Exchange Rate	9,075	Cedi/$US

 

 

1.7 Implementation

 

The Kiafa Youth Career Planning Center will be the sole implementer of the project along with volunteers assign to the Organization.  These tasks will be managed under the full supervision of the Program Manager of KYCPC.  He shall work according to the time frame of the project as regards its scope of operation.  A sub-committee shall be established to aid in the day-to-day activities of the project, including registration of participating farmers, collecting details of needed requirements and distribution of inputs.

 

1.8 Reporting/ Monitoring

 

The project shall be subject to periodic reviews in accordance with procedures established by the Donor Organization for the purpose.  Program reports on project implementation shall be prepared every three months.  Each report will contain brief description of the main events of the reporting period, including projections.  It shall also include update of activities, expenditure, and problems encountered.

 

 

Submitted:

                   Kanton Wright

             Program Manager, KYCPC