MORE STAKEHOLDERS CALL FOR IMPROVED TOMATO SEED
MORE STAKEHOLDERS CALL FOR IMPROVED TOMATO SEEDS February 27 2012
BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM
ISD – BOLGATANGA
A farmers’ group in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East region christened Tomato Producers Association of Nyariga [TOPAN] is soliciting the support and authoritative voices of more stakeholders such as the Northern Star Tomato Factory, the Irrigation Company of Upper Regions [ICOUR], the Ministry of Food and Agriculture [MOFA] and others in order to press home the urgent need for government to provide improved seeds for tomato cultivation in the country.
In a welcome address at a stakeholders meeting held in Bolgatanga, a trustee to TOPAN Honourable John Akparibo observed that since the liquidation of FASCOM which used to extend tremendous seed and fertilizer support to farmers, no single company in Ghana has taken up that responsibility.
Hon. Akparibo said the absence of improved seeds has impoverished many tomato farmers as the crop is attacked by diseases at its early fruition stages thereby reducing average yields. He said TOPAN has gone beyond just sensitizing its members on how and when to advocate stressing that the time has come to pull the energies of farmer-friendly organizations and appropriate state agencies for the adoption of a national policy that will make improved tomato seeds available to farmers in the country.
The Upper East Regional Consultant to the Business Sector Advocacy Challenged [BUSAC] Fund Mr. Richard Ananga in a presentation disclosed that between July and September 2011, the BUSAC Fund assisted the tomato farmers’ association to conduct a research titled “The Impact of Lack of Improved Tomato Seed on the Business of Tomato Producers”. The research covered areas including Gowrie, Sumbrungu, Bongo Nyariga, Bolga Nyariga, Zaare, Vea, Yikine, and Dindubisi. Other areas were Navrongo, Akumadan and Touboudom while relevant institutions such as ICOUR, the Irrigation Development Authority and MOFA were consulted in the process.
Mr. Ananga said the research revealed that tomato production is a male dominated business while its retailing is mainly done by women. It also came to light that about 6500 people in the Upper East region depend on tomato production for livelihoods meanwhile, 58 per cent of the respondents have some level of formal education indicating that the understand modern agricultural methods and proper application of farm inputs.
According to the BUSAC Consultant, lack of improved seeds is the most challenging factor in tomato production in both the Upper East and Brong-Ahafo regions followed by marketing and land acquisition for cultivation. In the findings, close to 95 per cent of farmers said for the past five years, the seed variety they have been using can no longer withstand diseases thus making them lose out in the business.
Mr. Ananga’s presentation also revealed that “pectomech” and “no name” are the widely used varieties by tomato farmers Brong-Ahafo and Upper East regions. Also, power rano which used to be very resistant to diseases is no longer resistant and this calls for new research and trials to get new seeds that are fast yielding and disease resistant in the tomato growing areas of the country.
He called all stakeholders to add their voices to the farmers’ cry for improved seeds adding that the advocacy must take a national outlook since the crop is cultivation in many parts of Ghana with thousands of people depending on it to earn some incomes and feed their families.
The Farm Operations Manager of the Northern Star Tomato factory at Pwalugu in the Upper East region, Mr. Kwabena Darkwa in a statement revealed that in 2007, the factory ordered tomato seeds to the tune of 140,000 Dollars and distributed these to farmers via an MOU so that they farmers sell the produce to the factory but there was a breach from the side of the farmers.
This act he explained has made the factory skeptical about extending similar assistance to the farmers noting that the development is bad for the factory and the farmers but pledged that his outfit will submit some proposal to the Ministry of Trade and Industry to seek ways of supporting tomato farmers.
Meanwhile, the farmers are calling for the construction of cold rooms to enable the factory buy all their produce during boom seasons for processing at later dates.
BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM
ISD – BOLGATANGA
A farmers’ group in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East region christened Tomato Producers Association of Nyariga [TOPAN] is soliciting the support and authoritative voices of more stakeholders such as the Northern Star Tomato Factory, the Irrigation Company of Upper Regions [ICOUR], the Ministry of Food and Agriculture [MOFA] and others in order to press home the urgent need for government to provide improved seeds for tomato cultivation in the country.
In a welcome address at a stakeholders meeting held in Bolgatanga, a trustee to TOPAN Honourable John Akparibo observed that since the liquidation of FASCOM which used to extend tremendous seed and fertilizer support to farmers, no single company in Ghana has taken up that responsibility.
Hon. Akparibo said the absence of improved seeds has impoverished many tomato farmers as the crop is attacked by diseases at its early fruition stages thereby reducing average yields. He said TOPAN has gone beyond just sensitizing its members on how and when to advocate stressing that the time has come to pull the energies of farmer-friendly organizations and appropriate state agencies for the adoption of a national policy that will make improved tomato seeds available to farmers in the country.
The Upper East Regional Consultant to the Business Sector Advocacy Challenged [BUSAC] Fund Mr. Richard Ananga in a presentation disclosed that between July and September 2011, the BUSAC Fund assisted the tomato farmers’ association to conduct a research titled “The Impact of Lack of Improved Tomato Seed on the Business of Tomato Producers”. The research covered areas including Gowrie, Sumbrungu, Bongo Nyariga, Bolga Nyariga, Zaare, Vea, Yikine, and Dindubisi. Other areas were Navrongo, Akumadan and Touboudom while relevant institutions such as ICOUR, the Irrigation Development Authority and MOFA were consulted in the process.
Mr. Ananga said the research revealed that tomato production is a male dominated business while its retailing is mainly done by women. It also came to light that about 6500 people in the Upper East region depend on tomato production for livelihoods meanwhile, 58 per cent of the respondents have some level of formal education indicating that the understand modern agricultural methods and proper application of farm inputs.
According to the BUSAC Consultant, lack of improved seeds is the most challenging factor in tomato production in both the Upper East and Brong-Ahafo regions followed by marketing and land acquisition for cultivation. In the findings, close to 95 per cent of farmers said for the past five years, the seed variety they have been using can no longer withstand diseases thus making them lose out in the business.
Mr. Ananga’s presentation also revealed that “pectomech” and “no name” are the widely used varieties by tomato farmers Brong-Ahafo and Upper East regions. Also, power rano which used to be very resistant to diseases is no longer resistant and this calls for new research and trials to get new seeds that are fast yielding and disease resistant in the tomato growing areas of the country.
He called all stakeholders to add their voices to the farmers’ cry for improved seeds adding that the advocacy must take a national outlook since the crop is cultivation in many parts of Ghana with thousands of people depending on it to earn some incomes and feed their families.
The Farm Operations Manager of the Northern Star Tomato factory at Pwalugu in the Upper East region, Mr. Kwabena Darkwa in a statement revealed that in 2007, the factory ordered tomato seeds to the tune of 140,000 Dollars and distributed these to farmers via an MOU so that they farmers sell the produce to the factory but there was a breach from the side of the farmers.
This act he explained has made the factory skeptical about extending similar assistance to the farmers noting that the development is bad for the factory and the farmers but pledged that his outfit will submit some proposal to the Ministry of Trade and Industry to seek ways of supporting tomato farmers.
Meanwhile, the farmers are calling for the construction of cold rooms to enable the factory buy all their produce during boom seasons for processing at later dates.
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