The Bole Municipal Assembly has successfully celebrated the 40th farmers day with the call on stakeholders to adopted climate resilient agriculture practices.
The celebration was marked at Banda Nkwanta under the theme: ‘Building climate-resilient Agriculture for sustainable food security’.
In a welcome address the Bole Municipal Director of Agriculture Mr Sualey Abubakari said the year dry spell has affected the food production with a thread to food security in the country.
Emphasized that various efforts and strategies to tackle the spell ,Mr Sualey said they are extending climate smart agriculture technology that will mitigate the adverse effect of climate change.
The programme that was executed within the period include profiling of farmers to benefit from carbon credit from international donors, vaccination exercise among others notwithstanding the challenges .
The chief of Dua, Duawura Kassim Amankwa Boressah I expressed his heart gratitude to Assembly for chosing his community to host the event which he indicated as a sign of better things to come.
Speaking on behalf of Duawura, Mr Jacob Gbolo Dinda appealed to government to appreciate the challenges facing agriculture activities.
He underscores the need for government to consider subsiding inputs, increase in extension officers, provision of tractor services and improve agriculture as an alternative illegal mining.
Duawura emphasizes the peaceful nature of Banda Nkwanta in spite of its multi ethnic settlement.
Addressing the farmers at the event the Municipal Chief Executive, Hon Veronica said climate change is a reality as in rising temperature, changing rainfall patterns, extreme weather conditions affecting crop yield and livestock.
One of the key principles of resilient agriculture she said is diversification which includes growing varieties of crops and livestock.
Speaking on the theme, the Hon MCE said climate resilient agriculture is the use of sustainable agriculture including Conservation agriculture, afforestation and integrated pest control.
Among the aforementioned famers will not only mitigate climate change but also contribute to overall food sustainability, she stated.
Emphasizing on the role farmers have to play in climate change, Hon Veronica Alele said farmers need to adopt modern practice of farming.
As part of government efforts to support farmers under Planting for Food and Jobs II, 378 (50kg) bags of NPK was distributed to 971 farmers (300 males,78 females) as grant, She said.
Secondly she said under Tree Crop Development Authority, 251 farmers (226 males, 25 females) were supplied with 15,200 grafted mango seedlings to plant 380 acres in the municipality.
As part of measures to address climate change, the Bole Municipal Assembly under Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) raised 35,000 cashew seedlings in Seripe which were distributed to 239 farmers.
This was financed by the Ghana Productive Safety Net Project.
Hon Alele said government is working up a relief package to support farmers due to the effects of the long dry spell in eight regions of the country.
The registration of farmers for the relief package is presently going on in the affected regions.
I urge our farmers to liaise with the agricultural extension agents for the registration of their farms, Hon Alele noted.
Mr Robert Farouk Sumbobo, from Tinga was adjudged overall District best farmer and went home with a Tricycle
a Pair of Wellington Boot, 2 Cutlasses, 1 Knapsack Spraye and a Certificate.
First runner up prize went to Babile Kpienaa from Banda Nkwanta who got a motorbike, a Pair of Wellington Boot, a Cutlass, a Knapsack Sprayer and a
Certificate.
Stephen Baakoo, from Jama occupied the second runner up position and had a prize ofa Pair of Wellington Boot, a Cutlasses a Knapsack Sprayer a rain coat,
a Certificate, a 32″ TV Set,
3 empty sacks and 2 cutlasses.
Source: yagbonradioonline
