Trax Africa

TRAX Africa is a UK registered charity whose aim is to support people in the Development of Sustainable Livelihoods within resource poor communities in sub Saharan Africa. This means not only improving food security and raising income levels, but also promoting community development and effective leadership. The use of a participatory approaches to agricultural and community development guides this process, but the fact that TRAX Africa only works with communities who have invited TRAX Africa to help them is perhaps a more important key to success. Ten years after it was established, TRAX Africa has gained a high reputation in the North of Ghana for the promotion of Low External Input Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA).

Operating from offices in Bolgatanga, Ghana and Dapaong, Togo, TRAX Africa employs 27 technical and managerial staff. The programme is supported in Ghana and Togo by a Board of Patrons, and in the UK by a full time Co-ordinator and a voluntary Board of Trustees. In Ghana TRAX Africa operates three programme arms:-

Sustainable Livelihoods: Promoting a range of soil and water management techniques, from crop residue management to organic composting, advice on organic pesticides to the cultivation of fruit trees. This is linked to the development of Income Generating Activities, through building the capacity of community groups to manage and access credit, as well as working together to realise supplemental financial benefits. Our approach includes collaborating with other partner organisations in the region, such as Action Aid, Techno Serve and DED.

Training of Trainers: The technical skills required to undertake these activities are developed through this Programme. The Programme was initially intended to extend the technical skills of TRAX Africa field staff and farmers, but now also runs courses for other NGOs and government agencies in subjects as diverse as seed storage, book keeping and leadership skills.

This is an information source for TRAX Africa staff, students, lecturers and researchers. It also assists communities through an outreach programme helping with the preparation of funding proposals, advising on development services and providing video shows on important social issues in rural communities, the latter in collaboration with Action Aid.

Around six years ago farmers from across the border in Togo started approaching TRAX Africa staff in our project areas around Bunkpurugu and requested similar assistance, having seen the benefits of our work with their relatives there. This has seen us help develop TRAX Togo, a new indigenous Togolese organisation that collaborates with three indigenous organisations in Dapaong (ASTODAR, OREPSA and GA2D) and coordinates their work at grassroots level to extend the Sustainable Livelihoods Programme to communities in the Savannes District of Togo. TRAX Togo is also committed to supporting the capacity building our partners to help assure that when the five year programme is completed they are in a better position to continue supporting the rural poor of the region. This has also given us the opportunity to share ideas and techniques and continue learning as an organisation.