The Northern Rural Growth Programme and the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) have commenced a new project to promote butternut squash in the Northern Region. The project is intended to increase incomes of farmers and reduce poverty. Butternut fruit collectively called cucurbit is from the gourd seed which experts say contains rich phytonutrients and antioxidants, low in fact and an ample dose of dietary fiber. It is also said to contain some amount of potassium, vitamin B6 and essentially boosts the nervous and immune systems. The Northern Rural Growth Program therefore has adopted the product and will process it for export as part of a pilot initiative aimed at reducing extreme poverty in northern Ghana. The National Programme Co-ordinator of the project, Roy Ayariga said the pilot phase of the project will seek to increase productivity among more farmers and ensure their export to the European market. The Chief Executive of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority, Alhaji Sani Iddi explained the socio-economic impact of the pilot project will determine the success of the actual work which also aims at improving livelihoods. Beneficiary farmers have welcomed the intervention.