Food Crisis in Upper East Region

The current food crisis that has hit the Upper East Region of Ghana could have been averted if the warning signals given by the Regional Office of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture had been heeded. In October 1997, a study undertaken by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in the region indicated an imminent food shortage of a magnitude that would be far greater than what occured in previous years.

The estimated food balance sheet for 1997 showed a deficit of 14 thousand metric tonnes. This grim fact came to light when the Regional Minister, Mr. Donald Adabre presented a 36 page report on the problems confronting the region at the meet-the-press-series in Accra today. Last month, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture released ?3 billion for the purchase of grain for the three Northern Regions: Northern, Upper East and Upper West. To date, the Upper East Region has received 9,433 mini bags of relief food.

The Six District Assemblies have been instructed to set aside 20 percent of the relief items for free distribution to Volnerable groups while the rest would be sold at ?15,000.00 per mini bag of maise and ?25,000.00 per mini bag of rice while a mini bag of beans would be sold at ?30,000.00. some observers do not endorse the sale of the relief items since the people are so poor that they cannot buy even a "buter tin of rice" or maize at the prevailing market prices. An international NGO, the Star of Hope International is sending ?60 million worth of millet to the region.

The Regional Minister said the Regional Coordinating Council has drawn up a comprehensive strategic development frame work to address the Teething problems confronting the region 220 dams and dug-outs are being rehabilitated for irrigation and restoration of the degraded environment while the quality of pjysical infrastructure like roads will be improved to facilitate the transportation of good.

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