Ministry of Food and Agriculture introduces drought-resistant, early maturing crop varieties

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has introduced drought-resistant and early maturing crop varieties to farmers in the Dormaa Central Municipality of Brong-Ahafo Region to help minimise the effect of climate change on farming activities in the area.

Munkaila Jawad, the Municipal Director of MoFA, said climate change has shortened rainfall patterns, caused bushfires, affected forest reserves and has led to the unlawful practice of farming along river banks and the indiscriminate felling of trees for charcoal burning.

Some of those early maturing maize varieties included Wandata, Sansasima and Pan 12, Mr Jawad said.

“We have certain varieties that move beyond certain period or 120 days at a point in the maturing time if it doesn’t get rain,” he said.

Mr Jawad expressed optimism that the introduction of the early maturing varieties would help to address the phenomenon of erratic rainfall patterns that have contributed to post-harvest losses in the society.

He said his outfit took soil samples to conduct germination tests with tomatoes and were now awaiting the results from the Regional Office of MoFA in Sunyani.

On the Farmer’s Day celebration, Mr Jawad said farmers would be honoured on how they applied and adopted technology in farming.

He said both organic and inorganic fertilisers were being recommended to farmers, saying that two demonstration farms have been established at Dormaa-Ahenkro and Nsuhia in that regard to educate farmers to make an informed choice on the usage of the two fertilisers.