MODERNISE AGRICULTURE FOR FOOD SECURITY
MODERNISE AGRICULTURE FOR FOOD SECURITY 04/12/2009
BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM
ISD-BOLGATANGA
The Kassena –Nankana East District Chief Executive, Honourable Emmanuel Andema has observed that modernised agriculture can lead to accelerated rural development in Ghana.
Hon Andema made this observation in a welcome address at this year’s Upper East Regional farmers’ day celebration held in Navrongo, capital of the Kassena-Nankana East District. He said Ghana’s rural economy can be transformed through agro-based industrialisation and concentrating investment in areas with high agricultural potential.
He said government has initiated measures to help farmers increase their yield and these include the importation of modern farm equipment, the subsidy on fertilizer and many other interventions ear-marked under the Northern Rural Growth Programme and the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority [SADA].
The DCE noted with worry the increasing numbers of HIV cases in the district adding that many people that tested positive for HIV/AIDS also had hepatitis B in them and called for a re-orientation of minds, attitudes and behaviours.
Upper East Regional Minister Honourable Mark O. Woyongo noted that close to 80% of the region’s population is engaged in agriculture and that if this number is to contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s expected economic growth of between six and eight per cent, there is the need to assist farmers to undertake heavily mechanised agriculture.
Hon. Woyongo said that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government has in line with this year’s theme “Accelerated agricultural modernization for food security and economic transformation” fashioned out the Food and Agricultural sector Policy to address challenges facing farmers from the production level to the final consumer.
The Regional Minister noted that land preparation is a major challenge in achieving accelerated agricultural growth. To tackle this and other obstacles however, government has imported and sold 60 farm tractors to farmers in the region while five agricultural mechanisation, service centers have also been established to offer training to farmers.
According to Honourable Woyongo, the region has taken delivery of 20 muti-grain thrashers which will be sold to farmers at subsidised prices to improve thrashing and post harvest grain quality. Also, three combine harvesters have been received last week to facilitate rice harvesting in the Tono Irrigation area and the Fumbisi valleys in the Builsa District.
He said government is fulfilling its promise to employ the youth through the establishment of the Block Farms concept which has employed about 2,746 people to cultivate 1,175 hectares of rice. This move is aimed at increasing rice production so as to reduce rice importation into the country. Meanwhile for the 2009 cropping season, a total of 140,000 coupons of various fertilizer types have benefited 52,444 farmers.
Hon. Woyongo also disclosed that through an agreement reached between the Ghana government, the African Development Bank and the International Fund for Agric Development (IFAD), 104.34 million US Dollars will be spent on various programmes to ensure equitable and sustainable poverty reduction and food security in households in Northern Ghana.
A representative of farmers, Mr. Ahmed Bogobiri in a statement asked his colleague tomato farmers to sell at least 75% of their produce to the Northern Star Tomato Factory since government given the factory the needed resources to purchase tomatoes produced in the region.
Mr. Bogobiri on behalf of his colleagues thanked government for rehabilitating the main Tono canals in aid of dry-season farming and hoped the remaining canals at Vea and Tono will all be rehabilitated to allow for all year round farming.
Upper East Regional Director of Agric, Alhaji R. Ziblim Salifu said the Ministry of Food and Agric (MOFA) is in league with both governmental and non-governmental organisations through participatory extension delivery systems to share experiences and new technologies with farmers.
Alhaji Ziblim said MOFA is facilitating the development of farmer groups and also linking them to potential buyers of agricultural produce under the Northern Rural Growth Programme.
The Regional Best Farmer award went to Mr. Batabunga Zaato while Mr. Kweku Ayire won the Kassena-Nankana East District best farmer award. Both award recipients are from the Kassena-Nankana East District. Meanwhile Mr. Edward Amaya was adjudged the best district physically challenged farmer for year 2009.
BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM
ISD-BOLGATANGA
The Kassena –Nankana East District Chief Executive, Honourable Emmanuel Andema has observed that modernised agriculture can lead to accelerated rural development in Ghana.
Hon Andema made this observation in a welcome address at this year’s Upper East Regional farmers’ day celebration held in Navrongo, capital of the Kassena-Nankana East District. He said Ghana’s rural economy can be transformed through agro-based industrialisation and concentrating investment in areas with high agricultural potential.
He said government has initiated measures to help farmers increase their yield and these include the importation of modern farm equipment, the subsidy on fertilizer and many other interventions ear-marked under the Northern Rural Growth Programme and the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority [SADA].
The DCE noted with worry the increasing numbers of HIV cases in the district adding that many people that tested positive for HIV/AIDS also had hepatitis B in them and called for a re-orientation of minds, attitudes and behaviours.
Upper East Regional Minister Honourable Mark O. Woyongo noted that close to 80% of the region’s population is engaged in agriculture and that if this number is to contribute meaningfully to Ghana’s expected economic growth of between six and eight per cent, there is the need to assist farmers to undertake heavily mechanised agriculture.
Hon. Woyongo said that the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government has in line with this year’s theme “Accelerated agricultural modernization for food security and economic transformation” fashioned out the Food and Agricultural sector Policy to address challenges facing farmers from the production level to the final consumer.
The Regional Minister noted that land preparation is a major challenge in achieving accelerated agricultural growth. To tackle this and other obstacles however, government has imported and sold 60 farm tractors to farmers in the region while five agricultural mechanisation, service centers have also been established to offer training to farmers.
According to Honourable Woyongo, the region has taken delivery of 20 muti-grain thrashers which will be sold to farmers at subsidised prices to improve thrashing and post harvest grain quality. Also, three combine harvesters have been received last week to facilitate rice harvesting in the Tono Irrigation area and the Fumbisi valleys in the Builsa District.
He said government is fulfilling its promise to employ the youth through the establishment of the Block Farms concept which has employed about 2,746 people to cultivate 1,175 hectares of rice. This move is aimed at increasing rice production so as to reduce rice importation into the country. Meanwhile for the 2009 cropping season, a total of 140,000 coupons of various fertilizer types have benefited 52,444 farmers.
Hon. Woyongo also disclosed that through an agreement reached between the Ghana government, the African Development Bank and the International Fund for Agric Development (IFAD), 104.34 million US Dollars will be spent on various programmes to ensure equitable and sustainable poverty reduction and food security in households in Northern Ghana.
A representative of farmers, Mr. Ahmed Bogobiri in a statement asked his colleague tomato farmers to sell at least 75% of their produce to the Northern Star Tomato Factory since government given the factory the needed resources to purchase tomatoes produced in the region.
Mr. Bogobiri on behalf of his colleagues thanked government for rehabilitating the main Tono canals in aid of dry-season farming and hoped the remaining canals at Vea and Tono will all be rehabilitated to allow for all year round farming.
Upper East Regional Director of Agric, Alhaji R. Ziblim Salifu said the Ministry of Food and Agric (MOFA) is in league with both governmental and non-governmental organisations through participatory extension delivery systems to share experiences and new technologies with farmers.
Alhaji Ziblim said MOFA is facilitating the development of farmer groups and also linking them to potential buyers of agricultural produce under the Northern Rural Growth Programme.
The Regional Best Farmer award went to Mr. Batabunga Zaato while Mr. Kweku Ayire won the Kassena-Nankana East District best farmer award. Both award recipients are from the Kassena-Nankana East District. Meanwhile Mr. Edward Amaya was adjudged the best district physically challenged farmer for year 2009.
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