GUARD AGAINST BUSHFIRES, PRACTISE SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE – DCE 5th DECEMBER, 2025

Hon. Akurugo (in Smock "L") Presenting Ultimate Prize 

Kassena-Nankana West District Chief Executive [DCE], Hon. Stephen Aeke Akurugo has highlighted the growing threats posed by bushfires which has become an annual unpleasant phenomenon in the district. He noted that each dry season some unscrupulous people often ignite bushfires that cause a lot harm to the environment stressing; “bushfires devastate farmlands, harm and kill livestock, stored produce and also degrade soil fertility, undermining the tireless efforts of our farmers”. 

Hon. Akurugo made this observation in his keynote address the district’s celebration of Ghana’s 41^st National Farmers’ Day held in Paga on Friday, December 1, 2025. He thus called for the adoption of safe and responsible farming practices that safeguard the environment while vigilance must be kept to report to the authorities, persons who deliberately set fires for selfish interests such as hunting bush meat. The DCE made passionate appeal to stakeholders including the Ghana National Fire Service, the Forestry Commission and the Department of Agriculture to sensitise the public about negative effects of the annual phenomenon so as to help curtail the canker for the benefit of both today and the future generations of the country.

Hon. Akurugo also used the occasion to touch on some major measures the Assembly rolled out to support farmers during the cropping season and disclosed that some 3,000 bags were to farmers district-wide while processes have reached advance levels to secure agricultural implements such as tractors, power tillers and threshers to boost farming activities through mechanized agriculture. In addition to reinforced agricultural extension services to the district’s farmers, he said the Assembly has in partnership with Changing Livelihood in Innovation Partners [CLIP] Project, rehabilitated a dugout in Nakong and constructed a new dug-out in Akaritanga in the Mirigu community with support from the Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project. Meanwhile, a collaboration with the Food and Agricultural Organisation also resulted in the distribution of 12 multipurpose threshers to 12 communities in order to help farmers cut down on post-harvest losses.

Turning his attention on the Feed Ghana Proggramme, Hon. Akurugo stated it is a huge intervention in the country’s sector as the sector ministry has earmarked the recruitment of some 400 Agricultural Extension Officers across all district whiles an additional 10,000 young Ghanaians are to be enrolled onto a new four-year National Service Agripreneur Track; which presents a giant step for creating employment for the youth.

Kassena-Nankana West Director for the Department of Agriculture, Mr. Mohammed Bukari earlier in his welcome address touched on the theme for this year’s celebration is “FEED GHANA, EAT GHANA, SECURE THE FUTURE” and noted it was in tandem with the objective of the Feed Ghana Programme (FGP) which is the Mahama-Government’s flagship agricultural initiative aimed at driving food self-sufficiency, agribusiness development, and support for the implementation of the 24-Hour Economy envisioned by the president of the Republic.

Mr. Bukari explained that the central to this strategy of the FGP is the effective organization and strengthening of farmers into Farmer-Based Organizations (FBOs) and cooperatives, which serve as the critical vehicle for delivering support, accessing resources, and ensuring sustainability. The FBOs will also be ultimately supported to transform into Cooperatives. He revealed that his office has so far, facilitated the registration of over 740 groups for crop farming under the FGP and over 15 groups for the poultry component popularly called “nkoko nketenkete”. He urged all Ghanaians to partake in the FGP saying; “I use this platform to inform the public that registration for the FGP is still in progress and interested groups could contact the nearest agricultural agent in their area or come to the agric office in paga”.                      

The Agric Director also said his outfit conducted trainings on good agricultural practices for cereals, legumes and vegetables and went on to established crop demonstrations in nine (9) communities to promote crop production technologies such as seeding rates, use of improved and climate smart seeds, integrated soil fertility management using organic, recommended spacing for various crops, use of mini crop planters recommended land preparation protocols, fertilizer rates, weed management and minimum tillage among others.

According to the agric director, a collaboration with the Ghana Land scape Restoration and Small Mining Project, led to the planting of some 5,690 tree seedlings in agro forestry covering 140 acres across seven (7) communities including the Bayoa, Kanania, Kazugu, Nabio, Akaritanga, Aburiwasi and Kassalingo communities. In addition, over 35,000 tree seedlings have been planted around dams and dug-outs covering 40 acres of land across six (6) communities.

He expressed tremendous appreciation for sponsors of the various prize packages for the awardees including the Naara Rural Bank, the Link Ghana NGO, the Peasant Farmers Association, NABOCADO and some private businesses.

In all, some 40 hardworking farmers from the across the district took home assorted prize packages for their relentless efforts in feeding Ghana across veracious spheres on the agriculture landscape with the ultimate, the Overall District Best Farmer honours conferred on Mr. Atingane Agogiyane from the Kandiga community. For his prize, he received a brand new motorking (engine-powered tricycle), two bags of NKP fertilizer, one bag UREA fertilizer, a knapsack sprayer, a cutlass and two pairs of wellington boots.