Farmers appeal for re-introduction of loan scheme

Farmers at the Mile-50-Kentenkren area of the New Juaben Municipality have appealed to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) to re-introduce the Global 2000 loan scheme for farmers to expand their farms and improve their yield.

The farmers contended that farming in the area was bedevilled with poor yield and low prices of produce and called on MOFA to find sustainable and innovative solutions to their plight.

In an interview with the GNA in Koforidua on Wednesday, Mr Issifu Limman, spokesperson for the farmers, urged MOFA to resume Extension Services visit to their farms to offer technical advice, which they said would help them increase their yield.

He said their main challenge was how to acquire tractors and fertilizers to boost crop production in the area and appealed to MOFA to liaise with the Government to address those challenges.

Mr Limman noted that in the past, Global 2000 gave loans to farmers to expand their farms which led to bumper harvest but said that facility was no longer operational rendering most of them poor.

Mr Issa Zornaa, a farmer, also said vast agricultural tracts of land existed in the Kentenkren area which could be cultivated by farmers to contribute their quota in feeding the nation if attention was given to their loan and logistic needs.

He urged the youth to take to agriculture to help reduce the unemployment situation in the country.

Source: GNA