Upper East Region endowed with huge agricultural potential

Mr John Manu, the Upper East Regional Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), has said the Region is endowed with huge agricultural potential which could be exploited for the economic development of the country.

That, he said could be achieved through Public-Private partnership where the private sector could be encouraged to invest in building water harvesting structures and reservoirs to harvest rain and flood water to support farmers in the area to undertake all- year- round farming, particularly during the dry season.

The Regional Director said this at the celebration of farmers at Tongo in the Talensi District in the Region.

The Region, he said, was also endowed with economic trees and other crops that were highly patronised by other regions in the country and the global market.

The shea tree is needed for shea butter which is in high demand and a very expensive international commodity, baobab for beverages and millet and sorghum for porridge, beverages and other industrial products.

He said the most important thing to do was to promote the processing and packaging of those products to attract more national and international market to help enhance economic growth of the country.

Mr Manu said the Region had the comparative advantage at guinea fowl production and solicited for support from the private sector and development farmers to help smallholder farmers to go into the production of birds for local consumption and export.

He gave the assurance that although the flood experienced this year affected crop production, it would not have any major effects on food security.