Upper Manya needs irrigation system to boost food production – Stakeholders

Stakeholders at a workshop on advocacy for the establishment of an irrigation system for the Upper Manya “Dademantsemei” Union have called on the Upper Manya District Assembly to adopt the project.

The union, which is a farmer-based organization, specializes in the production of vegetables.

The members noted that with part of the district being covered by the Volta River, the adoption of the project would benefit other farmers in the area and help increase food production.

It would also create jobs for the youth to raise the economic standards of the people in the district.

They said such a project could increase the production period in the district and productivity in general and, therefore, called for efforts to improve storage facilities by individual farmers.

They also called for a determined effort to design appropriate marketing strategies to avoid food glut which could lead to impoverishment of farmers.

Briefing participants about the project, the Service Provider, Mr Louis Acheampong, said the project, which was being sponsored by the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund, was to help members of the union to advocate for the creation of an irrigation scheme to help them increase productivity.

He said the project had trained members of the association in advocacy, conducted research and would organize dialogue with policy makers to get them to buy into it.

Mr Samuel Ofoe Narh, Chairman of the Union, said they would work to increase their membership in the district to enable more farmers to benefit.

He said the union had no female member but would encourage women farmers to participate in their activities.

Source: GNA