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SNV (The Netherlands)

ECASARD intends to strengthen the existing collaboration with SNV in the areas of

• Advocacy on Gender Issues
• Reproductive Health and HIV.AIDS
• Natural Resource Management
• Environmental Sustainability
• Organizational Development

SNV (Netherlands) has signed an MOU with ECASARD and has since 2004 effectively supported ECASARD by providing

1. Facilitators for issues related to the above workshop
2.  Partially funded  some of the activities

 PROLINOVA Ghana

ECASARD Still plays the role of the national co-coordinating Secretariat of the PROLINNOVA Programme in Ghana .Quite recently, for an effective promotion and efficient running of the programme in Ghana; the PROLINNOVA Ghana was split into two. The three northern Regions have been ceded to ACDEP (sister organization in the North) and ECASARD IS coordinating the seven (7) Southern region in which ECASARD operates.

The Activities of PROLINNOVA include:

• To identify document and disseminate farmers local innovations to agriculture:
• To strengthen collaboration and building capacity among stakeholders.
• To institutionalize the recognition and rewarding of local innovations.
• To mainstream  PROLINNOVA in Research, Extension and Education programme

ECASARD intends to effectively collaborate with the PROLINNOVA programme for the benefit of its membership The PROLINNOVA Ghana is administered differently since it has it own National Steering committees.

ECLOF
ECASARD continues to collaborate with ECLOF by facilitating access to micro-credit for its members. Its should be noted that ECASARD does not manage this micro-credit facility. Its only facilitates.

Collaboration with UNDP/GEF and GOAN and the Ghana Standard Board (GSB) on organic Certification

ECASARD review and play a lead role in collaborating with some organizations in producing standards for the certification of four (4) commodities
The Commodities are

1. Tomatoes
2. Cabbage
3. Pineapple

ECASARD intends to collaborate with the Global Environment Facility of UNDP and the Ghana Organic Agriculture Network (GOAN) for this activity. It is hoped that GEF, GOAN and ECASARD will provide the funds for this activity.

Collaboration with RTIP/IFAD
The Roots and Tuber Improvement Project of Ghana is Sponsored by IFAD. The project intends to develop the cassava industry. Cassava is seen as

• Famine Reserve Crop
• Rural Food Crop
• Food and Cash Crop (based on traditional and artisan technology)
• Food and Cash Crop based on improved technology
• Industrial Raw Material and Livestock

IFAD through RTIP intends to promote the cassava production, processing  and marketing the crop.
ECASARD links the Rural Farmer Groups in the cassava Commodity to their project/Activity

Other Collaborations/Stakeholders
ECASARD will continue to collaborate and strengthen its relationship with
Other stakeholders such as

• Ministry Of Food And Agriculture
• Food Security And Policy Advocacy Network
• Farmer Organizations Network in Ghana.
• National Board For Small Scale Industries