The Bolgatanga East District of the Upper East Region anticipates a decrease in maize and cowpea production by 137 and 43 metric tons, respectively, this year due to the dry spell that affected some northern regions of Ghana around July.
Farmers in the Upper East, Upper West, and Northern Regions faced significant dry spells in June, July, and August 2024. The lack of rainfall led to severe drought conditions, with crops withering and farmers’ livelihoods being threatened.
The dry spell transformed fertile lands into barren fields, endangering the future of agriculture in these areas. Farmers who rely heavily on rain-fed agriculture faced uncertainty as their crops failed to thrive.
Addressing participants at this year’s Farmers’ Day celebration at the forecourt of the Bolga East District Assembly, themed “Building a Resilient Agriculture for Sustainable Food Security,” the District Director of Agriculture, Mr. Jonal Yiran, noted that the dry spell has caused a deficit in maize and cowpea production this season.
He said, “Mr. Chairman, Hon. District Chief Executive, despite the prolonged dry spell, our district’s food security outlook is promising, with projected surpluses of 383 MT of rice, 729 MT of millet, 800 MT of sorghum, 648 MT of groundnuts, and 30 MT of soybean. However, we anticipate deficits of 137 MT for maize and 43 MT for cowpea, indicating potential supply shortages. To mitigate this, we advise farmers to manage their food stocks judiciously, especially maize and cowpea, during festivals and funerals as we expect future price hikes. For farmers needing supplementary income, we recommend exploring alternative revenue streams, such as poultry or small ruminants, to avoid depleting essential food reserves.”
Mr. Yiran also highlighted staffing challenges within the district, which make it difficult to equip farmers with essential knowledge and skills in crop and livestock production. He appealed to the government to consider Bolga East District when assigning agricultural officials in the country. He said, “Despite our department’s commitment to equipping farmers with the necessary knowledge and skills in crop and livestock production, we face a significant challenge due to inadequate staffing. According to a World Bank report, the ideal extension-farmer ratio should be 1:500. Currently, our district has a staggering ratio of 1:2,645. Therefore, we appeal for additional staff to ensure that we adequately reach more farmers with relevant technologies.”
The District Chief Executive Officer of Bolga East District, Mr. Albert Akugre Agana, noted that the government is scaling up the “One Village, One Dam” program to ensure more farming communities have access to reliable water sources for dry-season farming. He said, “Rain-fed agriculture is becoming increasingly unsustainable in the face of erratic rainfall patterns and prolonged dry seasons. To address this, the government is intensifying efforts to promote irrigation as a key pillar of agricultural resilience. We are therefore scaling up the ‘One Village, One Dam’ program to ensure that more farming communities have access to reliable water sources for dry-season farming. In Bolgatanga East, we are committed to completing and maintaining several irrigation projects that will allow our farmers to cultivate crops throughout the year, reducing their reliance on seasonal rainfall and improving food security.”
Mr. Apotogse John Akolgo was awarded the Best Farmer in the district. He received a tricycle, a bag of fertilizer, a knapsack sprayer, a pair of Wellington boots, two cutlasses, insecticide spray, and a certificate.
Source: A1Radioonline.com|101.1Mhz|Samuel Adagom|Bolgatanga East
