Planting for Food and Jobs: 2,257 farmers in Dormaa Central Municipality receive support

A total of 2,257 farmers in the Dormaa Central Municipality in the Bono Region have benefited from the supply of farming inputs under the food crop module of Planting for Food and Jobs initiative (PFJ).

The government's flagship programme which seeks to modernise agriculture is being implemented through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture(MOFA), Drissa Ouattara, the Dormaa Central Municipal Chief Executive has said.

According to him, "these interventions benefited the farmers in the first half of 2020 during major raining season."

He noted, however, that the supply of these farm inputs such as seeds and fertiliser to the farmers recorded less than 50 percent partly due to the late arrival of the inputs and the external impact of COVID-19.

Mr Drissa Ouattara, the Dormaa Central Municipal Chief Executive made this known in his address at the first ordinary meeting of the Dormaa Central Municipal Assembly held in Dormaa Ahenkro.

The meeting was attended by assembly members, chiefs, staff of the Assembly, heads of institution, security officers and trade associations.

He stated that the high demand for maize seed indicates an increasing trend of maize cultivation in the Municipality due to huge demand from the poultry industry.

On extension services, he noted that the department took delivery of 13 motorbikes and a pick-up vehicle for extension work in the Modernisation of Agriculture of Ghana (MAG) project.

"Extension officers were adequately resourced to deliver quality agricultural; technologies to farmers. There has been significant visibility of extension personnel in our communities, with constant updates or improved technologies and best practices," he added.

The MCE further indicated extension activities included home and farm visits, field demonstrations and trials, formation and development of FBO's, farmer training and staff capacity building.

Other activities included the Women in Agriculture Development(WIAD) activities, cross- border activities, veterinary services and agro-input distribution services.

Mr. Ouattara added that the sustainable extension services delivery has encouraged the cultivation of food cash crops, sustainable poultry business and increased livestock production.

He stated that the WIAD activities continue to build the capacity of women and marginalised groups to engage in livelihood activities.

"A lot of training has been carried out on processing, value addition and nutritional improvement of local dishes. Cumulatively, over 16,000 farmers and agribusiness actors have benefited from improved technologies and innovations from Agriculture Extension Agents(AEAs)," he said.