The United States announced a five-year $547 million aid package to Ghana on Wednesday to help the African nation develop agriculture and reduce poverty. The U.S. grant through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), established in 2004 as part of a U.S. initiative to help developing nations, will be the largest offered so far. “The Ghana Compact will help 1 million rural poor in that country live a better life by providing investments to modernize Ghana's agriculture,” the State Department said in a statement. “Special emphasis will be given to improving rural transportation networks to allow farmers to get their goods to market faster and at less cost,” the department said. “The agreement will also support initiatives on land tenure and credit access for small farmers and agri-business, as well as programs to improve education, water, and sanitation.” The Ghana grant's agricultural component, at $241 million, is intended to offer easier access to credit for farmers. The $101 million rural development allotment is focused on the construction and rehabilitation of schools, water sanitation facilities, and electrification. Nations participating in the MCC program agree to follow the rules of democratic government, investing in people, and encouraging economic freedoms. The MCC has approved programs worth $2.1 billion to mostly African and Latin American nations and two former Soviet republics.
