Ghanaian official urges uptake of sustainable farming methods

The Deputy Minister of Ghana's Upper East, Mrs. Agnes Chigabatia, has urged farmers in the region to adopt farming practices that would help them achieve sustainable agricultural growth. She said the urge for people to go into large scale commercial agriculture make farmers adopt the use of tractor ploughing and the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides instead of adopting simple terracing and organic fertilizers.

She said sustainable agriculture should be concerned with the agricultural practices that are economically viable without compromising the quality of the environment and the ability to meet current and future needs of the people.

She noted that social inequalities in land ownership in the country has forced subsistence farmers into fragile eco systems such as hillsides, watersheds and low land areas and cited the case of people farming close to the Zongoyire watershed in the district as an example.

Mrs. Chigabatia also expressed concern at the seasonal bush fires in the area despite frequent education on its effects on the environment and crop production saying it is a major challenge to sustainable agriculture.

Speaking on behalf of the farmers, Baba Kumasi, a farmer called for better markets to be arranged for this year’s tomato harvest and appealed to government to help farmers who were affected by the floods with funds so they could farm next season.

Modern Ghana