Banana cultivation at Nandom increases

The Nandom District of the Upper West region is gradually becoming a notable district for the cultivation of banana in large quantities with the use of the Black Volta.

According to the District Chief Executive (DCE) Mr. Cuthbert Baba Kuupiel, the area can currently boast of about 20 acres of banana farms which is expected to increase by close of the year.

In an exclusive interview with ultimatefmonline.com, he disclosed that some of the farms in the past months have made a lot of harvests emphasizing the prospects of the area in the cultivation of banana even though it shares a boundary with landlocked Burkina Faso.

“It will surprise you to see banana everywhere in the district. Indigenes themselves started piloting the banana project which is sprawling after it recorded some success”, he disclosed.

Mr. Baba Kuupiel revealed that the mechanization of the Black Volta has resulted in an all year water supply to the about 16 communities dotted around the river which makes it possible to water the crops.

He anticipated that other pilot projects including groundnuts cultivation are in the offing aimed at increasing food production in the area and also generating employment to minimize the rural-urban drift in the area.

The DCE expressed hope that most of the pilot projects would be perfected in order to upscale the production of various food crops in the district to make it one of the food baskets of the region.

He however appealed to residents to embrace the new technology in watering their farms and desist from engaging in illegal mining activities around the banks of the Black Volta.

“I am appealing to residents to take advantage of the Black Volta and improve on their livelihood since a lot of crops can be cultivated along the banks of the river”, he said.