PFJs have reduced cost of agricultural production - Domowa Farmers

Farmers in Domowa, a predominantly farming community in the Wa West District, have praised the introduction of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJs) programme since it has slashed the cost of production significantly.

According to a cross-section of the farmers, growers no longer had to spend much money on inputs such as fertilizer and seeds because its prices had been cut down considerably to enable farmers to save.

Ms Domowa Naa Puolbayong, a farmer told the Ghana News Agency: “Because we pay part and later pay the rest, it is more beneficial because we are able to get food to feed our children and cater for them”.

The PFJs programme has been a saviour because they give us the fertilizer at a subsidized fee, which we pay half and pay the rest after harvest whilst they also give us the seeds for free”.

However, the farmers complained of pests attacking their farm crops the absence of extension officers to offer them with the needed technical advice, also undermined the production capacities of the smallholder farmers.

They also complained of inadequate tractors to plough, which caused a delay in planting at the right time.

The farmers were hopeful that as the rains set in, they would have access to the inputs under the PFJs including mechanization services to enable them to derive maximum benefits.

Mr Yelbo another farmer indicated that though the PFJ programme had come to improve their agricultural activities, lack of access roads to market centres remained a challenge to selling their produce.

They appealed to government through the district assembly to come to their aid by rehabilitating their road networks to facilitate conveyance of produce to the market centres and boost economic activities.