On 17 and 18 August, Irish Rural Link (IRL) welcomed a delegation of six visitors from the Achiase District Assembly, Ghana, for a study visit focused on sustainable rural communities, sustainable farming and climate conservation.
The Achiase District Assembly, a Ghanaian government local authority, administers an area of 501 square kilometres in Eastern Ghana, focusing on local development, infrastructure, agricultural support, public financial management and community and social services.
During their time with IRL, the delegation met with members of the IRL team to learn more about the organisation’s work and the range of projects and programmes being delivered to support resilient and sustainable rural communities and farming across Ireland.
A highlight of the visit was a trip to a Breeding Waders EIP project site, where the group met with one of the project officers and a participating farmer. They heard about the aims of the project, the importance of protecting breeding waders and the practical experience of farmers engaging with the initiative.
The delegation also visited the Regenerating the Rocks EIP project, a project in which one of IRL’s members is involved. They met with participating farmers and learned how the project is supporting sustainable farming while encouraging wider community involvement.
The group also had an opportunity to meet with the ‘Walk and Talk’ initiative in Dún na Sí, where they heard directly about participants’ experiences of moving to Ireland and becoming part of rural communities.
On 18 August, the delegation met with Longford Women’s Link (LWL) to learn about its work supporting women in rural areas and visited one of its Community Houses. They then visited Longford Meals on Wheels to see how the services work in person, before travelling to Corlea Bog Visitor Centre. Here, they learned how a former commercial peat production bog has been transformed into a valuable community amenity and visitor attraction.
The study visit provided a valuable opportunity for knowledge exchange, highlighting shared experiences and innovative approaches to creating sustainable, inclusive rural communities.
