INNOVATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Background
ISRD started as a Youth Club in the Wa West District in the year 2013. Under the name 'Green Youth Club', it undertook activities including tree planting, anti-bush burning campaigns and youth leadership workshops. Its scope of activities was later widened to include VSLA and financial literacy training for women groups and facilitating linkages for access to tractor services and inputs for farmer groups. Other activities included organizing community education forums on personal/environmental hygiene and Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights.
In 2017 Green Youth Club got registered with the name INNOVATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE RURAL DEVELOPMENT - ISRD.
Innovations for Sustainable Rural Development (ISRD) seeks to provide sustainable solutions to rural development challenges using results-based approaches and Information Technology. ISRD uses an integrated approach that blends indigenous knowledge with modern innovations to efficiently utilize local resources in advancing the capacities of development actors and providing support to rural communities in the area of food security and creation of livelihood opportunities. These approaches are implemented through a collaborative working relation with relevant government institutions, LNGOs, INGOs, private firms and local communities (direct/indirect beneficiaries) in the Upper West Region and beyond.
Vision Statement
To provide Technology-Based solutions, create opportunities and positively transform society.
Mission Statement
ISRD will achieve its vision through; “empowering rural communities with the needed capacities and facilitate the use of information technology solutions in addressing Rural Development Challenges”
Operational Circle of ISRD
The operation of ISRD is diagrammatically described to capture the various inter-linking components that contribute to promoting the sustainability of interventions as well as advance impact in the lives of people through dent of poverty in the society. Our initiatives concentrate on developing innovative ideas that provides Information Technology solutions with an emphasis on Results-based approaches for Rural Communities, intending to contribute to society’s transformation in a structured value-chain market.
Target
ISRD, through its maiden initiatives, wishes to contribute its bit to satisfying the urgent needs of member women FBOs and other smallholder farmers in rural communities within the Upper West Region and beyond. This will further boost food security in the country and provide people with sustainable livelihood opportunities.
Strategic Objectives
The strategic objectives of ISRD take a concise reflective view of the Sustainable Development Goals, thus concentrating on thematic areas relevant to SDGs 2, 4&12 as follows;
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Eradicating poverty and hunger from smallholder farmers in rural communities through Agriculture.
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Preserving the natural environment using demonstrations and the introduction of environmentally sustainable livelihood opportunities.
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Strengthening effective collaborations with relevant stakeholders and development actors for sustainable development.
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Provision of Innovative Educational Improvement Models and IT capacity support for quality education and health service provision.
Thematic Areas
The core of our operations revolves around these thematic areas;
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Agriculture, Climate and Food Security
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Youth Empowerment
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Maternal and Child Health
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Information Technology and Education.
Additional Services
As part of our scope and span of operations, we also provide other services in the following areas;
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Project Management Capacity Training
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Skills training on Best Agronomic Practices for farming
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Building Mobile Data Systems
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Project Evaluations
Senior Management
ISRD is governed by a 11 member Executive Council who have the fiduciary role of ensuring that the organization remains relevant and true to its vision. These include 10 elected members from among executives of the 31 member women FBOs. The Executive Director is a non-elected member and secretary to the Executive Council. The day-to-day operations of the organization are managed by s secretariat of appointed staff headed by the Executive Director. The other staff of the secretariat include the Admin/Finance Officer, the Business Development Officer, Field Operations Officer, and Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) Officer. We also have an ICT consultant who works on part-time basis. Below are profiles of the key members of the Secretariat.
Chair Person of Executive Council
Mr. Stephen Kabange, CA.
Dong-Uuro Philemon Puordeme, CDPM.
MPhil. Environment and Resources Management.
Admin/Finance Officer
Madam. Labiibatu Braimah
BDO
Hon. Maxwell Kpetaa Maal-Eng
Field Operations Officer
Albert Needo