Janet Gyimah-Kessie joined a programme in Ghana that promoted the cultivation of cassava in 2002. What started as an acre of cassava has since grown into a cultivation and processing business, Josma Agro Industries, that is looking to branch into direct exports in the near future.
The Chief Executive Officer of ASPASSION Farms, Farmer Robben Asare is asking the government to invest more in Climate Smart Agriculture which will help drive increased productivity, enhanced resilience, and reduced emissions across the country.
Actor and prolific farmer John Dumelo has complained bitterly about the import of tomatoes and onion from Burkina Faso when these vegetables can be cultivated in Ghana.
The actor who is currently in the Upper East Region on an agricultural tour of the region made this known in a post shared on social media.
John Dumelo indicated that it is high time Ghana focuses on the production of onions and tomatoes since the country has the potential of growing vegetables.
He said like the people of Burkina Faso use who use irrigation and the right seeds in all-year-round production, there is the need for the people of Ghana to invest in irrigation and the right seeds.
“I took this video on the Bolgatanga- Navrongo highway. Every year, from December to about May, thousands of trucks move to Burkina Faso to buy tomatoes/onions for the Ghanaian market. Same tomatoes/onions can be cultivated in large quantities in Ghana especially the Upper and the Northern parts of Ghana.”
“We can use these water bodies to initiated massive irrigation systems to grow tomatoes, especially the Pectomech variety, onions, etc to feed ourselves and also for export. We should be targeting about 15-20 tons per hectare output from the farms. With these projections, the trucks will eventually stop crossing the border and now buy from our farmers. The money must stay home. It’s time to get things done!”
Cocoa Value Chain Analyst, Mr. Eliseus Opoku-Boamah has said Ghana needs a supportive attitude to eliminate child labour in cocoa farms in the cocoa value chain rather than a punitive approach across the country.
The government will spend GH¢614million (US$98 million) on its flagship Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) programme for the 2022 implementation year. The amount is an increase from GH¢439million (US$70million) spent in the 2021 planting season.
Akwasi Darko, 56 years old cocoa farmer has been stabbed to death by his labourer Raymond Oduro, 33, at Beposo; a farming community within the Ashanti Region. Raymond with a locally made machete used for breaking cocoa pods stabbed Akwesi Darko twice before taking to his heels.
Conflicts related to cross-border transhumance have become more frequent and violent in recent years. A lot of people have the perception that these conflicts are caused by Fulani herdsmen in the country but, that is not always the case.
Our health is the most essential thing in life. When we disregard our health, diseases that could have been easily been prevented at an early stage would get enough time to grow and damage our health.
There is no doubt that the just-ended year, 2021, has been a difficult agricultural year. Data from the Statistics, Research, and Information directorate of the Ministry for Food and Agriculture shows that between January and October 2021, the prices of major food crops like maize, yam, cassava, tomatoes, and rice increased between 12 and 73%.
