Farmer in Atebubu appeals for support after fire consumes 20 acres maize farm

Correspondence from Bono Region

A 35-year-old farmer in the Atebubu-Amantin Municipality, Hudu Karim is appealing for support after losing his 20 acres of maize farm to bushfire.

The destruction of the farm which serves as his only source of livelihood has brought untold hardship to the farmer who has two wives, three children and several other dependants.

Hudu who says he has been farming for over ten years describes the situation as very devastating as he lost everything in the fire and is now struggling to make ends meet.

According to him, the bushfire consumed his entire investment and is therefore appealing for support in any form to enable him to bounce back in the next farming season.

A visit to the farm by this reporter only showed the bare farmland and the devastating effect of the bushfire left behind.

“As you can see my whole maize farm has been consumed by bushfire. I have lost everything, twenty acres in total. It is a very sad moment for me as I am now struggling to look after my family”, Hudu sadly lamented.

He condemned the perennial bushfires in the area and called on authorities to intensify measures to curb the situation as it causing a lot of problems for farmers.

Independents checks by Ghanaweb indicate that bushfires in the Atebubu-Amantin Municipality is a yearly ritual but the Municipal Fire Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service, DO III Majors Nourinnon tells Ghanaweb the bushfire situation is something his outfit is working tirelessly with other stakeholders to address.

DO III Majors Nourinnon disclosed that even though the bushfire situation looks worrying, available statistics show that the number of bushfire cases has dwindled due to prudent measures over the years but admitted that there is still a lot to be done to effectively combat the practice.

“The fire situation in the Municipality especially bushfires is a serious issue and we have over the years been working hard to fight the menace. We have in place stakeholders who are helping us in that regard and we have made some strides”.

He decried the sad situation where farmers fail to report such cases to his office on time for redress and urged the public to do so as his doors are always opened.