Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana (YHFG) is targeting to educate 10,000 farmers on the effects of agrochemical containers when they are not properly handled and disposal off after use.
The move is aimed at reducing health hazards on humans and the environmental dangers posed by unsafe handling of agrochemical containers in four selected districts of the Upper East Region.
Project Officer for the ‘Safe disposal of agrochemical containers advocacy project’, Raphael Asuure, urged farmers to desist from burning these containers and rather dig deep and bury them as that has been proven to be safest method.
Mr. Asuure said this during a media briefing on a research carried out by Northern Presbyterian Agriculture Service, on the dangers of unsafe handling of agrochemical containers. He stated that 82 percent of farmers per the research findings has no knowledge of safe handling and disposal of agrochemical containers.
It is against this backdrop that he urged the media to play a pivotal role in educating famers on the dangers associated with agrochemical containers when they are not properly disposed off.
According to him, his organisation has observed an increase use of agrochemicals in the region but how the farmers dispose off the empty containers is fast becoming a serious threat to human lives and the environment. He emphasised that no matter how the containers are washed, they still contain some toxic waste which is harmful to humans, animals and the environment.
Mr. Asuure, disclosed that the research showed that 15 farmers die quarterly from Upper East, West and Northern regions due to unsafe handling and disposal of agrochemical containers.
Acting Executive Director for YHFG, Priscilla Nyaaba, acknowledging the important role the media play in educating the public, reiterated the call for the media to educate farmers and the public on safe disposal of agrochemical containers.
“We are all victims sometimes, who knows, your child can be affected because people go about disposing these agrochemical containers indiscriminately and sometimes you find children even holding these containers. Some of the farmers ignorantly use them to collect water and drink. So if we are able to give them the education and they are well informed, they will be able to handle some of these containers very well.” She stated.
The NGO is engaging with four assemblies to ensure they put by-laws in place to enforce a proper disposal of agrochemical containers by farmers.
The ‘Safe disposal of agrochemical containers advocacy project’, is a partnership between YHFG and USAID Advance and is expected to end in August this year with Kassena-Nankana Municipal, Bongo, Kassena-Nankana West, and Bawku West districts benefiting.
The purpose for selecting these districts according to the project officer, is due to high usage of agrochemicals in the areas.
By: Joshua Asaah|A1radioonline.com|101.1Mhz
