Army worms invade farms in Ghana; threaten food security

The Pests Intelligence Control Unit of Ghana Chamber of Agribusiness Executives can confirm a seemingly invasion of cereal farms in the country by army worms, and call on the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to act with a sense of urgency.

The Chamber is urging the ministry to release required supplies to the Agricultural Extension Officers across the country to enable them to visit farming communities and render their valuable services to the worried and affected farmers.

We can confirm with certainty that at least four regions in the country have been affected by the army worm invasion.

By this release the Chamber is equally sending a strong caution to all agrochemical dealers in the country, not to take advantage of the situation to exploit the distressed farmers by inflating prices of their goods, as that would bring severe consequences on consumers and the country as a whole.

We are also calling on the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to as a matter of urgency, incorporate measures in the government’s*PLANTING FOR FOOD AND JOBS CAMPAIGN* to avoid re-occurrence of above invasions in future.

Many institutions such as the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, ISSER, Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, Ghana Association of Farmers and Fishermen, Ghana Agricultural Chamber, Queen Mothers Associations, Ghana Agriculture Volunteers of Ghana, Federation of Young Farmers Ghana, at a recent youth forum organized by the University of Ghana School of Continuing and Distance Education, to discuss expectations of stakeholders on the government’s Planting for Food and Jobs program, unanimously agreed that the concept would pose great challenges in its implementation as enough stakeholder consultations were not done and called for review of the program in order to ensure its success.

One Major issue which has been overlooked in the program is *PEST CONTROL MECHANISMS AND POST HARVEST LOSES* and this we strongly urge the government to consider.

Finally the Chamber wishes to call on government to endeavor to provide financial assistance to all farmers taking part in the program to ensure its success.

We also call on the telecommunication companies in the country to help farmers by extending excellent network coverage to farming communities, so farmers can take advantage and benefit from many ICT agriculture based programs and most especially social media business and marketing drive information.

Food is essential to the development and security of any nation, hence the need to provide the maximum state interventions to arrest the rising cost of food in Ghana.

Signed

Anthony Selorm K Morrison

Executive President

Ghana Chamber of Agribusiness Executives

Tel: 0540742111

E-mail: theagribusinesschamber@gmail.com