Parts of the Upper East Region have been grappling with significant flooding affecting local farms due to recent heavy rains and the spillage of the Bagre Dam. The extent of damage, regionwide is still howeve unknown.
Addressing this issue, the Regional Director of Agriculture, Alhaji Zakaria Fuseini, indicated that the agricultural authorities are actively assessing the damage. He stated that teams have been dispatched to gather data on the extent of the flooding and its impact on farmlands. “At the regional level, we do not leave it. We have gone out with our district directors, especially those along the White Volta.”
He spoke to Gerard Asagi on the Day Break Upper East Show.
Mr. Fuseini noted that farmers had been advised against cultivating areas prone to flooding, yet many farms have still been affected. “We tell farmers in the dry season not to farm close because there are consequences, and here we are. The Bagre Dam has been spilled, and many farms have been affected as a result.”
He emphasized that the current focus is on collecting detailed information to understand the full scope of the damage.
In addition to the flooding, the region has also faced challenges due to an unexpected dry spell.
“Because of the dry spell, farmlands that were ploughed down and were awaiting moisture couldn’t be utilised and therefore as soon as the rains resumed, they had to switch to other crops like early maturing sorghum and cowpea.”
Following this, the government aims to assist affected farmers with financial support of 1,000 Ghana cedis per hectare per farmer to mitigate the losses incurred by the dry spell.
Mr. Fuseini welcomed the government’s decision to provide financial support to farmers, acknowledging that while the dry spell had a significant impact, the situation has improved with the onset of rains.
This, he said, has allowed affected farms to recover to some extent, though some areas, particularly the Talensi, Garu, and Tempane districts, experienced notable difficulties. He highlighted that a shift to early-maturing crops like sorghum and cowpea was necessary due to the initial dry conditions.
Regarding the recent ban on rice and grain exports, Mr. Fuseini supported the measure, emphasizing the need to conserve local produce. He noted that measures are in place to enforce the ban, including the deployment of border protection officers to prevent unauthorized grain movements.
“We are not working in isolation, we work as a team or partners with security agencies NADMO, and all alike, so that they will help us to further sensitise people about the need for us not to move out grains.”
“I went to Paga and I have my plan protection regulatory officers. I have delved into that and they are ensuring that at least no grain is moved out of the region through that barrier. And there are other barriers we are yet to reach out to.”
He praised the minister’s decision to implement this policy, describing it as a proactive step in ensuring food security.
“We really applaud the minister for bringing that. It’s a laudable policy.”
“I have the strong conviction that, ones the government has the intention to let the policy work, then of course they will do what they can so that the pricing will be bargained between the producers and the offtakers so that at least a fixed price is put to enable government buy all this things and stock so that at least in the need season, they can release them for the citizenry to utilise.”
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Gifty Eyram Kudiabor|Ghana
