Fight against armyworms; bumber crops expected - Agric Ministry

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has recorded heavy successes in the ongoing fight against the invasion of Fall Armyworms in the country.

Reports from some parts of the northern sector of the country during visits by some officials of the Ministry reveal ample evidence of recoveries on farms which were hitherto attacked by the pests.

In most parts of the Upper East Region where the Youth In Agriculture Program (YIAP) Directorate of the Ministry is undertaking cultivation of huge acres of maize under the Planting For Food and Jobs (PFJ) in collaboration with Masara, a leading Farmers' Outgrower Association , the farms look fresh and greeny with farmers expecting to reap bumper harvests.

The program employs thousands of youths in the north by supporting them with inputs under special arrangements as part of efforts to improve the lives of farmers in the north.

The National Coordinator of YIAP, Mr. Klutse Kudomor and Officials of Masara who have been touring the northern parts of the country are very optimistic that the country will record higher yields of maize compared to last year.

Some of the areas already visited by the YIAP Team include Gwollu and Tumu in the Sissala East District, Wa East and West Districts, and Karaga in the Northern Region.

Mr. Klutse indicated that the Ministry has chalked significantly success in the fight against the FAW and urged Ghanaians not to entertain any fear about alleged possible food shortage.

He further urged reporters not to confuse 'attack' with 'destruction'. 'The fact that the insects make few holes on the leaves does not mean they have destroyed the farm. Once the farms are spray with appropriate pesticides, the leaves will recover and nothing will go wrong to affect yield, and the spraying is the intervention MOFA has adopted to bring the situation under control, he pointed.

Meanwhile, the YIAP will be harvesting several tonnes of rice under the PFJ in the southern part of the country in September, with an anticipated bumper harvest in the north at the latter part of the year.