Delayed rains slow down pace of “Block Farming” in Upper West
The rains delayed for over three weeks in the Upper West Region during the current farming season and this has affected ploughing for farmers engaged in the “Block Farming” programme, Mr. Charles Adams, Regional Director of Agriculture, has said.
He said because of this it might not be possible for them to hit the initial target of 14,055 acres of land that was earmarked for the “Block Farming” programme in the region this year.
Mr. Adams told the GNA in an interview that the irregular delivery of compound fertilizer was another factor that could slightly affect the smooth implementation of the programme if not checked.
Out of the initial target of 14,055 acres of land, he said, Wa Municipality was allocated 2,400 acres while Wa East and Wa West districts were also allocated 900 and 3,500 acres respectively.
The rest are Nadowli, 13,500, Lawra, 540, Jirapa, 910, Lambussie/Karni, 205, Sissala East and Sissala West Districts respectively took 600 and 1,800.
He said with the return of the rains all the districts had bounced back to action, stressing that if the rains remained as normal it may still be possible to hit the target.
The Regional Director said farmers had been advised to move their farms from low land areas to prevent their farms from being destroyed by floods.
Mr. Adams said some of the farmers complained to him that their district Agricultural Offices had left them out of the programme but explained that it was so because those farmers defaulted in the repayment.
He said some commercial farmers were also interested in hijacking the programme by demanding large tracts of land.
“The programme is designed for the youth as a way of encouraging them to go into farming,” Mr Adams said.
Source: GNA
Ghana at cross-roads in her socio-economic development – Ahwoi
Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has observed that Ghana’s socio-economic development is at the cross-roads and needs a timely ‘push’ to enable the country to overcome its problems.
“I am convinced that Ghana is at the cross-roads of her development and we need everybody to adopt the ‘We Can Do Better Spirit’. It would enable us to overcome the myriad of perceived problems that seem to overwhelm us,” he said.
Mr Ahwoi was speaking at the launch of a book, “You Can Do Better”, co-authored by Dr S.K. Dapaah, an Associate Dean of African University College of Communications and Mr Newton Attigah, Senior Manager of Total Petroleum Ghana Limited in Accra.
The 62-page book devotes considerable space to the life and achievements of Tetteh Quarshie, a 28-year-old Ghanaian blacksmith who left the shores of the country for the island of Fernando Po (in present day Equatorial Guinea) with a passion to fulfil his dream.
Tetteh Quarshie returned six years later (in 1879) to Ghana with a few cocoa pods and the knowledge to develop a viable cocoa industry, thereby laying the foundation for what has become one of the greatest industries in Africa.
Mr Ahwoi expressed dissatisfaction that Ghana could not replicate the success story of producing, marketing and exporting cocoa on to other crops and agricultural products to broaden the country’s economic base.
He said a ‘Can Do Better’ mindset was needed to spur on the citizenry to attain improved food security, accelerated job creation, enhanced quality of life for farmers and fishers, improved balance of payments through increased export earnings and import substitution, and an accelerated industrial development through the provision of adequate agricultural raw materials for value addition by local industries.
Mr Ahwoi said the book mainly described the achievements of Tetteh Quarshie, father of the cocoa industry in Ghana, as a way of motivating individuals, families and leaders to make a paradigm shift from the old mind-set of ‘pull him down’ to that of ‘I can do better’ spirit.
“The book espouses the ideals and principles of a selfless Ghanaian, Tetteh Quarshie, who left a great legacy for Ghana and Africa, to guide and motivate students, artisans, unemployed, professionals, church and political leaders to do much better for their countries and the continent of Africa than they have done to date without the usual excuses,” he said.
Mr Ahwoi said the book contained messages that called on Ghanaians to re-think and re-psyche themselves with the resolution to forge ahead to achieve the ‘better Ghana agenda.’
Professor Daasebre Oti Boateng, Omanhene of New Juaben Traditional Area, paid glowing tribute to Tetteh Quarshie and stressed that his legacy had positively cast an indelible mark on Ghana’s economic capabilities and on the living standards of many Ghanaians.
He called on the youth especially, to emulate Tetteh Quarshie’s “You can do better” attitude in order to be economically empowered and self-reliant.
Mr Attigah called on Ghanaians to be thrifty in the use of their financial resources in order to use their limited assets to achieve their dreams.
He said a careful and sincere self-examination conducted would reveal that many people wasted the little funds on unnecessary expenditures that deepened their financial woes.
Source: GNA