The Upper East Regional Director of Agriculture, Alhaji Zakaria Fuseini, has challenged journalists to take a more active role in educating the public and amplifying farmers’ concerns in the fight against Striga, a persistent agricultural challenge in northern Ghana.
Speaking at a sensitisation forum for media practitioners on Striga control in northern Ghana held on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at the Blue Sky Hotel in Zuarungu, Alhaji Fuseini said the media could become a critical link between agricultural experts, policymakers and farmers.
The programme was organised by the Forum for Natural Regeneration (FONAR) in collaboration with the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Upper East Region Chapter.
Alhaji Fuseini said Striga repeatedly appeared in reports submitted by agricultural extension officers across the region, describing it as a problem farmers encounter season after season.
He observed that while farmers had considerable practical experience dealing with the weed, many still lacked sufficient public information on its causes, persistence and effective control measures.
He said this was where the media could make a significant difference.
MoFA, he explained, had been working with farmers through improved seed varieties, agronomic recommendations and agricultural extension services. However, because extension services operate largely at the district and community levels, he said the media was needed to take the message to a much wider audience.
Alhaji Fuseini therefore urged journalists to use the forum to interrogate agricultural policies and interventions rather than simply reproduce statements from officials.
He specifically encouraged journalists to ask why some farmers struggle to obtain certified seeds, why certain interventions require several seasons before results become visible, and what additional measures government could introduce to strengthen Striga control.
He stressed that constructive scrutiny would help ensure that challenges confronting farmers were properly identified and addressed.
The Regional Director further pointed out that agricultural practices and land restoration must work together in tackling Striga.
He explained that MoFA’s agronomic interventions and FONAR’s land restoration initiatives represented complementary approaches rather than competing solutions, with healthy soils and proper crop management both important to addressing the problem.
Participants were also expected to receive technical education on the biology of Striga, factors responsible for its persistence and recommended control measures before, during and after planting.
The forum also included a planned farm visit, where journalists were expected to interact directly with farmers and examine their experiences with Striga control.
Alhaji Fuseini said such firsthand experiences were crucial because farmers ultimately provided the practical test of whether recommendations being promoted by experts were producing results.
He urged journalists to ensure that farmers remained central to their reporting, saying their experiences should inform public discussion about agricultural challenges and solutions.
He thanked FONAR, the GJA Upper East Region Chapter and participating media practitioners for supporting the initiative and expressed hope that the forum would strengthen public education and reporting on Striga and agricultural development in northern Ghana.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen