‘I will farm if I get support’- Visually impaired farmer pleads

Correspondence from Upper East

It is the fervent wish of a visually impaired farmer from Bonia, a small farming community along the Tono Irrigation canals in the Kassena-Nankana Municipal Assembly of the Upper East Region, to go back into rice farming, especially this season if he is given the needed financial support.

Mr. Aduni Achana, 56 years old, engages in rice farming on his two-acre farm in the small village despite his inability to see. He has been cultivating the crop to support himself and the family ever since he lost his eyesight under bizarre circumstances at a youthful age.

Mr. Achana’s ability to grow rice in his condition is something that surprises many people to date. The amazing part of his effort is when ‘blind’ Achana is going to his farm which requires crossing a big canal and when he is removing weeds among the rice crop on the farm.

“How he is able to differentiate between weeds and the rice crop when controlling weeds on his farm is what amazes me and other people. Even we those that have proper eyesight find it difficult doing that. You would never believe if someone told you the man is blind. I think his ability is divine”- said a community member in Kasem dialect.

Mr. Achana’s hard work won him ‘Best Municipal Disability Farmer’ in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality in 2018. He was recognized, celebrated and awarded among 10 gallant farmers for their contribution to growth of agriculture and food production in the area.

Disaster strikes, rendering ‘blind’ Achana penniless

In December last year, Mr. Achana after investing resources and energy in his rice farm was preparing for harvest when disaster struck. His entire two-Acre farm got razed by bushfire.

The fire, which was said to have spread from dried grasses close to his farm, also destroyed items including a waterproof canvas tarpaulin, aluminium basins, wellington boots and other items.

He managed to escape with his life, traumatized and penniless.

GhanaWeb reported about his situation and got him some help.

When the misfortune hit the ‘blind’ farmer, GhanaWeb’s Upper East Regional Correspondent Senyalah Castro, reported about his plight which got a couple of Ghanaians including the Upper East Regional Minister, Tangoba Abayage and the Kassena-Nankana Municipal Chief Executive, William Aduum, supporting him with food items and cash donations to cater for his immediate needs.

Organizations and departments such as the Upper East Regional wing of the Ghana Federation of Disability Organizations, led by the Regional President, David Aniah, the Department of social welfare and the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), also got in touch upon hearing the report to console the farmer and promised to get urgent support for him.

But several months after the promises, ‘blind’ Achana is yet to receive any form of support from any of the organizations. When our Correspondent Senyalah Castro visited him at his home over the weekend to see how he was preparing for the farming season and to also present to him a small token from three benevolent individuals from Cameroon, Mr. Achana said he has not gotten any support from the organizations to enable him undertake farming this season.

He revealed that all efforts to get the support promised him by individuals and organization have proven futile.

“None of the organizations have said or done anything to assist me after they visited and left. I was told to come to an office at the Municipal Assembly the following week for some documentation and possible support.



So, I went there exactly the following week with my son but we did not hear anything from them. We followed up again and again but I was told to bring a Ghana card before they could go ahead with any documentation. By the time I went to register for the Ghana Card, the exercise was over. I did not get the Ghana card. I later went to the office about three more times but there was no progress so I stopped going there”. Mr. Achana said in Kasem dialect.

He said if support is given him, he will immediately get back to farming rice which is the source of livelihood for him and the family.