Tullow Oil : sponsored farming group wins award in Ghana

Tullow Ghana and Jubilee Partners initiative wins Best Farmer Based Organisation award.

The Jubilee Piggery Production Group (JPPG), a Farmer Based Organization (FBO) established by Tullow Ghana and the Jubilee Partners received the Best FBO award during Ghana's National Farmers' Day celebrations held in the Ahanta West Municipality of the Western Region in December 2019.

The JPPG is an association of pig farmers who were formed, funded and trained under the Tullow Ghana and Jubilee Partners Livelihood Diversification Support Project as part of its Coastal and Impact Management Programme in Ghana's Western Region. The initiative was designed to train beneficiary households to undertake piggery production using Indigenous Micro Organism (IMO) technology and targeted fisherfolk in the six coastal districts within Tullow and the Jubilee Partners' area of operations. In total 24 households comprising 96 beneficiaries (four per household) were selected to take part in the piggery project.

IMO technology is an organic method of rearing pigs using dry biomass or plant materials, such as saw dust, wood shavings or rice bran, to line the floor of the pigsty instead of the commonly used concrete floors. The technology also eliminates the odour associated with conventional pig housing and provides additional benefits including faster growth of fatteners, and reduced feed and water requirements. The IMO approach drives technology transfer, entrepreneurship and business training which equips beneficiaries with the relevant skills and knowledge required for rearing pigs. Technical and animal husbandry support is provided by CCLEAr Agri-Business Incubator, a programme set up by the Creating Champions in Livestock Agri-Business (CCLEAr) organisation.

Currently, the piggery project produces an average of 684 pigs at 70kg live weight per pig per year and supplies pork products to various markets and malls. In a citation awarded to the beneficiaries, the Municipal Department of Agriculture lauded Tullow Ghana and the Jubilee Partners for introducing an initiative that supports livelihood diversification of fisherfolks and contributes to food security and national development whilst managing its impact.