The Catholic Relief Services in collaboration with the International Fertilizer Development Center has supplied 1,080 farmers in the Northern region with certified seeds for the 2017 farming season under the Agriculture Technology Transfer programme.
The farmers who were selected from six districts namely the Mion, Saboba, Tolon, Chereponi, West Mamprusi and West Gonja were supplied with starter pack of their preferred seeds.
Traditional farming method continues to be the most practiced and preferred way of farming in most communities in the Northern region.
The practice which allows farmers to recycle grains seems to be the most adopted method owing to the high cost of production with modern technologies.
It is against this background that the Catholic Relief Services in collaboration with International Fertilizer Development Center has rolled out the Agriculture Technology Transfer project to assist farmers with certified seeds to plant alongside their traditional grains to compare the efficiency of the two.
The USAID sponsored programme, at the seed and technology fair in Sang in the Mion district supplied a total of 108 farmers in the Mion district with starter packs for the 2107 farming season.
The Agricultural Technology Transfer Project seeks to ensure increased availability and use of agricultural technologies to maximize and sustain productivity in Northern Ghana to achieve increased competitiveness of rice, maize and soy value chains to foster broad-based economic growth.
Chief of Party for the Catholic Relief Services Kris Ozar assured that the Agriculture Technology Transfer is the best farm practice with the current change in climate and the loss of fertility in soil and grains.
“We are aware of your challenges as farmers in this region, some of which we think we can assist you to overcome them and that is why today the Catholic Relief Services together with our partners have decided to supply you with these seeds. This is to also create the platform between you and agro-dealers for future dealings.”
Programme Manager, Mawuli Asigbe emphasized that “the Seed and Technology Fairs seek to raise awareness about the need for farmers to use certified seeds for increased productivity and accompanying technologies including appropriate use and methods of applying specific fertilizers and inoculums, and to create a platform for agro-dealers and local vendors of seeds and agro-inputs to interface with farmers, thereby enhancing their relationship to do business more effectively”.
Fuseini Mahama who is a beneficiary was grateful for being given the opportunity to be part of the project after receiving some improved seeds for his farms.
Source: Zubaida Ismail |TV3|3news.com