Policy LINK Facilitates Annual Feed the Future Implementing Partners’ Meeting
A group photo of participants in the May 23, 2023 meeting.
On Tuesday, May 23, 2023, the Feed the Future (FtF) Ghana Policy LINK Activity facilitated the annual FtF Ghana Implementing Partners (IPs) Meeting on behalf of the USAID Ghana Mission.
The annual event provides a platform for institutions implementing various interventions supported by USAID's Economic Growth Office in Ghana to discuss successes and challenges, share best practices and lessons, and identify opportunities for collaboration.
The annual event provides a platform for institutions implementing various interventions supported by USAID's Economic Growth Office in Ghana to discuss successes and challenges, share best practices and lessons, and identify opportunities for collaboration.
The meeting also provides an avenue for USAID to inform the IPs about the Mission's emerging initiatives, guidelines, and other useful information geared toward promoting effective implementation and, ultimately, contributing to enhanced economic growth and food security in Ghana.
Themed "Collaborating for Impact in Ghana's Agriculture Landscape," the 2023 edition of the meeting sought to build a shared understanding of the FtF strategic direction and focus areas. It also aimed to strengthen partnerships and improve collaboration between USAID and its IPs while also identifying opportunities for collaboration to avoid duplication of efforts and ensure effective use of resources.
Working in groups, participants discussed successes, lessons, and opportunities for collaboration.
Addressing the 60 representatives of the 14 participating IPs, Paul Pleva, Director of the USAID/Ghana Economic Growth Office, emphasized the significance of the meeting. He highlighted the importance of IPs acquainting themselves with the activities of fellow colleagues, fostering coordination and enabling the achievement of unique objectives for each award and project.
Additionally, Mr. Pleva acknowledged Ghana’s prevailing economic challenges, a consequence of the enduring impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, for which the country’s government opted to participate in an International Monetary Fund (IMF) program. He urged all IPs to carefully consider the conditionalities outlined in the latest IMF agreement and evaluate potential linkages that might affect their respective activities. He suggested that this crisis could present an opportunity for IPs to contribute meaningfully and creatively to Ghana's economic growth.
The meeting saw active engagement from participants, who shared insights into their respective activities, highlighting both successes and challenges. In addition to sharing knowledge, IPs engaged in fruitful discussions and provided suggestions on potential areas of collaboration across sectors such as agriculture finance, policy, trade, fisheries, and energy.