Rice and Vegetable Farmers at Tono exposed to greenhouse technology in farming

Agriculture  Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Limuna Muniru

The Ministry of Agriculture says the sector is embarking on a modernization drive to cause a paradigm shift in the way of farming by introducing farmers to greenhouse technology.

The sector believes that the adoption of the new method of farming has the tendency of effecting a positive change in the traditional farming system, where there will be a corresponding increase in crop yield.

The Sector Minister, Alhaji Mohammed Limuna Muniru who made the disclosure at Navrongo as part of his two day working visit to the Upper East Region, said government places high premium on agriculture and will continue to employ workable interventions to improve food production.

He noted that, greenhouse technology was one of the surest ways of producing more food to feed the growing population.

To this effect, it has become imperative for smallholder farmers to embrace it as it will help transform their lives and make farming attractive to the youth.

Report
The Sector Minister and his team visited the Tono Irrigation Project site to interact with farmers to have first-hand information on their activities and be abreast with their challenges for practical solutions.

Alhaji Muniru inspected an ultra-modern Packhouse, a storage facility meant for the storage of fresh fruits and vegetables.

The on-going marketing infrastructure sub component under the Northern Rural Growth Project will have a storage capacity of 500 metric tonnes of fresh vegetables.

Upon completion, it is expected to help address post-harvest loses and stabilise the price of agricultural produce.

The Project Coordinator of the Ghana Agricultural Sector Investment Programme, GASIP, Roy Ayariga, who led the team to inspect the project, explained that the facility will enable farmers aggregate their produce, ensure quality standards and advocate for good prices from secure markets.

After the inspection, Alhaji Muniru interacted with farmers at the site to update them on best agricultural practices and also solicit their inputs for consideration.

Welcoming the minister, the leader of nucleus farmers at the Tono irrigation site, James Adawina outlined some challenges facing farmers at the site and appealed to the ministry to intervene by providing them with adequate farm inputs and machinery to enable them harvest their crops on time and with ease.

During an open forum, the sector minister was subjected to series of questions bordering fertilizer smuggling, high cost of farm inputs, and limited access to loans.

One of the women farmers, Doris Addah poured her frustration on what she term as discrimination and unfair treatment in the utilization of farm input and machinery by their men folks.

Alhaji Muniru in response to the concerns raised said his administration will see to the plight of farmers especially those at the various project sites.

While availing the farmers to greenhouse technology and opportunities under the GASIP, Alhaji Muniru assured farmers of ministry’s readiness to assist them with the necessary machinery as government has procured a number of rice harvesters and processors with accessories from Brazil.

He, however, urged the farmers to come out with new and practical ways of farming to ensure good yield and high quality produce especially during the dry season.

Accompanied by the minister were some senior officers from both the regional and the national level.

Key among the dignitaries include the Chief Director at the MOFA, Joseph Boamah, the Director of Crop Services, Emmanuel Asante Krobea and the Project Coordinator of the Tono Irrigation Scheme, Sebastian Bagina among others.

GBC