Food-assisted programs have been a mainstay of CRS’ development initiatives in Ghana since 1958, starting with CRS’ first distribution of milk and cheese primarily to schoolchildren.
Initial programs of milk and cheese distribution, primarily to schoolchildren, evolved over the five decades of service to millions of Ghanaians into a wide range of food-assisted development activities including health, education and safety-net programs – mainly delivered in the neediest regions of the north.
Due to Ghana’s gains over the last 50 years, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the U.S. government organization responsible for most non-military foreign aid, removed the country from its priority list for food aid.
As a result of this funding cutback, CRS is phasing out through September 2008 its food-aid programs in Ghana, much of which will be taken up by the Ghana National School Feeding program, according to a March statement of the Catholic development and aid agency.
“With U.S. food aid resources being cut back, CRS is handing over the reins of our food aid programming throughout the country to the Ghanaian government with confidence,” said Jean Marie Adrian, CRS’ West Africa regional director, based in the regional CRS office in Ghana’s capital here.
“Fifty years since Ghana became independent,” Adrian said, “the country is ready to directly provide food assistance to those most in need.”
“Between a more active government approach to food programs and market-based U.S. foreign assistance, we don’t anticipate any major gaps from our phase out,” Adrian noted. “CRS remains fully committed to supporting the people of Ghana, and we will continue to provide development assistance through a range of other programs.”
Ongoing CRS programming in Ghana includes conflict-transformation programs, support for people living with HIV/AIDS, water and sanitation projects and agribusiness programs. CRS is also actively pursuing additional funding to support child survival programs aimed at immunization, nutrition and neonatal care.
Source: Catholic.org
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