AGRICULTURE

BUILSA S: DCE urges farmers to take advantage of gov’t initiatives
Mr. Daniel Kwame Gariba, District Chief Executive of the Builsa South District, has assured that the Builsa South district has had its share of appropriate government interventions in the agriculture sector to help improve production.

Date Created : 12/5/2017 11:55:51 PM : Story Author : Dominic Shirimori/Ghanadistricts.com

These interventions he noted include Youth in Agriculture Programme; the Northern Rural Growth Programme (NRGP); and Women in Agricultural Programme.

The district, he indicated is also currently benefiting from the Sustainable Land and Water Management Project, the Planting for Food and Jobs policy which includes heavily subsidised fertilizer, improved seeds and agro-chemicals and the District Chamber of Agric, Commence and Technology (DCACT) Project which aims at growing perennial crops such as cashew, mango and shea for export.




The DCE who was addressing a gathering on the occasion of the 33rd National farmers’ Day celebration on the theme: “Farming for Food and Jobs”, expressed appreciation to the gallant farmers whose toil and sacrifices have kept the economy of the district and country growing from strength to strength.




According to him, there cannot be sustainable economic development in our country if issues relating to agricultural development are relegated to the background. Issues of Erratic rainfall pattern continues to be a challenge to crop production in the district. “Another challenge that bedevilled the sector was the Fall Army Worm (FAW) epidemic which affected the quality of grain especially maize”.



He stated that as part of measures to prevent the re-occurrence of the Fall Army Worm (FAW) epidemic and improve agricultural service delivery, government is hopeful of employing Two Thousand, Seven Hundred (2,700) extension officers and make available subsidized agro-chemicals to our farmers under the government’s Planting for Food and Jobs flagship programme.

In view of surpluses under the “Planting for Food and jobs” programme, government will construct 1,000 metric ton capacity warehouse in each of the 216 districts, he added.




He pledged the Assembly’s readiness to collaborate with the District Directorate of Agricultural to ensure that the district takes advantage of the policies to improve on agricultural productivity in the district and further improve the income level of our hard working farmers.

Mr. Gariba appealed to farmers to take advantage of these policy interventions of the government and work closely with the agricultural extension officers to improve upon your productivity.