The European Union (EU) through the German Development Corporation (GIZ) and Comcashew in its Resiliance Against Climate Change (REACH) programme is intensifying its commitment to ensuring that Ghana adopts Conservation Agriculture to address the many effects of the global issue of climate change.
REACH is doing this by collecting knowledge on conservation agriculture and putting it on one document.
This document called the Consolidation Conservation Manual, when finalized is expected to be adopted by the Damango College of Education as one of its accredited courses of study by Agricultural Extensions Agents (AEAs).
Over time, the course is expected to be inculcated into the curricula of all Colleges of Education across the country.
The Head of Production, ComCashew, Mohammed Salifu said this when he was speaking at the REACH validation workshop on the Consolidation Conservation Agriculture Manual at Wa in the Upper West Region.
He said the creation and adoption of such a manual was in line with government’s efforts of addressing the issues that have arisen due to climate change.
According to Mr. Salifu REACH, together with the Department of Food and Agriculture has established 6 Conservation Agriculture Demonstration Areas (CADAs) at the Babile Agriculture Station.
He said the CADAs are to help enhance the knowledge of AEAs on different agro systems that comply with the principles of Conservation Agriculture.
“We are happy to contribute to government’s effort in the agriculture sector especially in the light of the looming climate change issues. We have begun developing community land use maps which will be used to develop community action guidelines for the respective communities. In line with Conservation Agriculture promotion, REACH is establishing a 15 acre Conservation Agriculture Dissemination Centre of Excellence.”
The Deputy Project Manager, EU-REACH, Simon Kunyangna, said climate change was affecting every aspect of the human life; thus the need to adopt systems that will reverse, contain and prevent some the negative effects.
On his part, Deputy Director of Agriculture for the Upper West Region, Huudu Abu admitted that while there was some knowledge on Conservation Agriculture, it was scattered and may not by comprehensive.
He said the effort by the Component 2 of REACH to collect knowledge in the area and develop a comprehensive document on Conservation Agriculture was commendable.
Resilience against Climate Change REACH is part of the European Union’s EU programme: ‘Productive Investment for Agriculture in the Savannah Ecological Zone,’ which aims at increasing agricultural income and promoting sustainable economic growth in rural communities by 2024.
The Project is being run in all 11 District and Municipalities of the Upper West Region, 2 districts in the Savannah Region and 1 district in the North East Region.
REACH has 3 components. Component 2 seeks to address the knowledge deficit among institutions, communities and households in the area of Conservation Agriculture.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHz| Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana
