UE/R: SOCO PROJECT FACILITATORS URGED TO WORK HARD FOR THE SUCCESS OF THE PROJECT – DCE NABDAM
BY: Raymond Wegwi
The Kasena Nankana Municipal Director of Agriculture, Mr Kasim Salifu in his welcome address in this year’s 41st National Farmers Day celebration in Navrongo, with the theme “Feed Ghana, Eat Ghana, Secure the Future” said 90% of the working population in the Municipality engaged in Agriculture and, 2025 farming season estimated farmer population in the Municipality was 61,886 comprising males and females as against only 10 Agriculture Extension Agents( AEAs ) providing extension Services to these farmers in the ratio of 1:6,189 against the ideal ratio of 1:500. According to him,the prominent farming types in the Municipality are food crops, livestocks , poultry and small amount of tree crop farming and was happy to announce that these year’s yields have improved significantly, making the Municipality one of self-sufficient . He stated that the Municipality is endowed with several irrigation options including Tono irrigation scheme which is one of the largest agricultural dams in West Africa with about 2,490 hectares of irrigatable area and 40 dams and dugouts in different locations of the Municipality that support dry season farming and drinking water for livestock. On value addition to agriculture products, he said the individuals and FBOs undertake processing of their products, like rice, groundnut dawadawa shea butter amongst others, before selling and with Feed Ghana Programme, farming will improve very well along the value chain but was quick to enumerate their challenges, some of which are low ratio of AEAs, unserviceable motor bikes, inadequate funding and logistics to carry out planned agriculture activities and expressed his gratitude to all the partners for their continued support.
The Akuafo Nketewa Company Limited representatives who donated refrigerators and other items to the awardees, especially the sorghum farmers for their trust and mutual benefits, expressed their gratitude to them for adopting to a climate smart business,by producing sorghum which has a ready market too, and urged the rest to also diversified to enjoy the huge benefits including credit, inputs and ready-market.
The Kasena Nankana Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Faustina A. Abulu, who underscored the importance of agriculture, praised President John Dramani Mahama for no mincing words in outlining his vision in which agriculture is at the centre stage in Ghana’s economic development agenda by transforming and modernising agriculture through an all-inclusive plan to enhance food security, improve farm productivity, strengthen linkages with industry and, thereby, create jobs, improve rural livelihoods and wealth for all Ghanaians, upon assumption of office . Some of the interventions include Feed Ghana Programme, a transformative agenda aimed at improving agricultural productivity, reducing food import, increasing access to inputs and mechanization and creating jobs particularly for the youth and women. Based on this she said, the Assembly has re-organised Farmer Based Organizations,FBOs/Cooperatives with a total of 456 and the registration is still ongoing and asked the people to take advantage of the initiative including the Nkoko Nkitinkiti.
Apart from that she stated that theMunicipality is one of the 4 beneficiary of the Farmer Service Centre in the Region which will definitely improve it’s agricultural fortunes and the Assembly has also initiated rehabilitation process on the existing infrastructure of Doba Livestock and breeding station, as part of Feed Ghana Programme to support farmers . Hon. Abulu used the occasion to thanked all the awardees and,their institutional collaborators, such as West Africa Food Systems Resilience Programme( FSRP), AICCRA, Africa Fertilizers and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP), SARI and NORSAG, for their continued support . In all, 37 Farmers and Institutions were awarded with various prizes for their hard work and among them were Mrs Olivia Kwoyire from Vunania, who was adjudged the best Municipal farmer, and she took home tricycle , Wellington boots, T-shirt and cap, touch light,pacel bag,half piece of cloth,rain coat and cutlass, the first runner up, Mr. Patrick Nabonas from Gia also took home Motor bike including other items and the 2nd runner up from Kologo, Mr. Amoah Charles had a pumping machine and among others.
