The Tolon District Assembly in collaboration with the Resiliency in Northern Ghana (RING) project has presented 165 small ruminants to 54 targeted vulnerable households in the Dimabi Community of the Tolon District in the Northern Region.

The RING intervention is implemented through a collaborative approach with the District Assemblies (DAs) in Northern Region and the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC) to improve the livelihood and nutritional status of vulnerable households in targeted communities in Northern Region. The distribution of the small ruminants, which falls under the livelihood and agriculture component of the RING project, is to ensure increased access and consumption of diverse quality food among target households, especially among women and children under five.

Speaking during the ceremony to formally hand over the animals to the beneficiary households, the Tolon District Chief Executive, Alhaji Siedu Abubakar, said the district has earmarked 2,500 vulnerable households to benefit from the RING interventions and one of which is the distribution of 768 small ruminants to six communities this year.

To make the project a success, Alhaji Abubakar said, beneficiary communities and households were sensitized and trained on disease recognition, prevention and control, farm sanitation and hygiene practices, improved housing and maintenance and supplementary feeding before receiving the animals. Aside, Agriculture Extension Agents and 12 Community Livestock Workers from six communities in the district have also received training on medication and vaccinations to provide support for the beneficiary households.

Alhaji Abubakar urged the beneficiaries, who are women to take good care of the animals by feeding them regularly and observing good sanitary practices in their pens to make the investment of the development partners worthwhile. The Tolon DCE also called on the Traditional Authorities to impress upon beneficiaries not to sell the animals before two years to allow the animals to multiply.

Alhaji Siedu Abubakar commended the Unites States Government and USAID for their continued support for the people of Ghana and further assured that Government of Ghana would continue to partner with development partners to reduce malnutrition and poverty in the Northern Region.

The RING Deputy Chief of Party, Mr. Benedict Anamoh gave the assurance that all 17 implementing MMDAs under the RING project would be provided the requisite technical assistance to effectively implement the activities in their work plans to achieve the goals of the project.

He urged the beneficiary households to take good care of the animals to multiply for them to sell or slaughter for household consumption to improve the nutritional and income status of their households.

A representative of the Northern Regional Coordinating Council, Mr. Habib Shahadu lauded RING for its intervention aimed at reducing malnutrition in Northern Ghana and urged beneficiary communities, especially men in beneficiary households to support the beneficiary women to take good care of the animals to alleviate their plight.

RING is a USAID funded project currently being implemented in 17 MMDAs in Northern Region.