TechnoServe, partners boost agriculture in Upper West

Wa, Oct. 8, GNA - TechnoServe and its partners have, within the past one week, undertaken programmes designed to improve farmers' crop yields and income levels in the Upper West Region. It has, with the support of Venture Capital Trust Fund, presented six tractors with implements and eight cereal thrashers to seven nucleus farmers in the region.

The two organizations together with Guinness Ghana Breweries Limited (GGBL) also organized a farmers' durbar at Tumu in the Sissala East District to promote the cultivation of sorghum for the breweries. GGBL has provided a borehole for the people of Poyentanga, a major sorghum producing community, in the Wa West District. The borehole, which was commissioned by the Upper West Regional Minister, Mr. George Hikah Benson, is among four that Guinness has dug for major sorghum growing areas in the region. The other boreholes are located in the Lawra District

Addressing a durbar at Tumu Mr. Stephen Mwinkaara, Manager of the West Africa Sorghum Value Chain Project, said the sorghum industry increased incomes of participating farmers from 30,000 to 728,000 Ghana cedis last year.

With the collaboration of Research Institutions and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the yield per hectare rose from 0.8 metric tones to 1.7 metric tones last year, he said.

Mr. Sitsofe Agbo, Planning and Logistics Manager of GGBL, said the company needed over 3,000 metric tones of sorghum annually but the farmers were able to produce only about 1,270 metric tones last year. Nana Osei-Bonsu, Chief Executive Officer of the Venture Capital Trust Fund, advised farmers in the Northern, Upper West and Upper East regions to take advantage of the opportunities offered them to produce sorghum on a large scale.

He told the farmers that they could only qualify for credits and other forms of support if they joined sorghum nucleus farmers out grower schemes.

Mr. Benson, the Regional Minister, appealed to farmers to be ready to adopt efficient production techniques that are cost effective. TechnoServe held a field day At Kpongu in the Wa Municipality to demonstrate to farmers new technologies that have been applied to improve the yields of maize, groundnuts and soya beans. Sponsored by USAID, TechnoServe has since 2002 been promoting "mamaba" a high quality protein maize variety. About 240 farmers in the region are being assisted by TechnoServe with USAID sponsorship to produce "Mamaba", cowpea, groundnuts and soya beans this farming season using modern technologies and appropriate crop management practices.