Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organizational Development (CIKOD), and Ghana National Sesame Business Farmers Association in the Upper East Region have appealed to the government through a petition submitted- to the Upper East Regional MOFA Director to invest in agroecology to help address climate change impact on smallholder farmers in northern Ghana.
According to the petition presented to the Regional MOFA Director Francis Ennor by the National President Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana Abdul Rahman Mohammed, the current farming practices coupled with mining activities and population growth led to the destruction of our forest landscape. Northern Ghana is almost like a desert, all the tree cover and the vegetation is gone, the rainfall pattern is erratic and inconsistent, high temperatures and the emergence of pests and diseases.
However, they also register their disappointment that there was no budget allocation for the continuation of the one village one dam, as they appealed to the government to reconsider putting money for the completion of dams under construction as part of the one village one dam and used the remaining money for desilting of the existing dams that are silted, also appealed to government to subsidize simple mechanization services and water pumping machines for the youth to continue with dry season gardening and livestock rearing activities. Etc
The Upper East Regional Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) Francis Ennor upon receiving the petition from the PFAG, acknowledged their contributions towards the country’s growth.
According to the Regional MOFA Director, the appeal for government to invest in agroecology is a call in the right direction as he assured them of sending their message across through the Agric Minister to the President.
Meanwhile, through the generous support of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), The 11thhourproject and The Joint Action for Farmers’ Organizations in West Africa (JAFOWA), members of Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), Ghana National Sesame Business Farmers Association and Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organizational Development (CIKOD) also embarked on a walk to sensitize the general public on the need to adopt the practices and principles of #Agroecology in the Upper East region.
Below is the full statement:
Statement to His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Ghana on the need to increase funding for Agroecology
His Excellency
The President of the Republic of Ghana
Flagstaff House
Bolgatanga 27th March, 2021
His Excellency,
MAINSTREAMING AGROECOLOGY FOR FOOD SOVEREIGNTY
The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organisational Development (CIKOD) and Ghana National Sesame Business Farmers Association appeal to the government to invest in agroecology to help address climate change impact on smallholder farmers in northern Ghana.
Your Excellency, Ghana relies heavily on agriculture as a key sector of her economy.
Agriculture plays a significant role in poverty reduction, food security and employment. Vibrant agriculture sector will help reduce the movement of young men and women to southern Ghana to search for non-existing jobs will be reduced.
The current farming practices coupled with mining activities and population growth led to the destruction of our forest landscape. Northern Ghana is almost like a desert, all the tree cover and the vegetation is gone, the rainfall pattern is erratic and inconsistent, high temperatures and the emergence of pests and diseases.
There is a limited investment to combat climate change, ensuring environmental sustainability and improving the incorporation of indigenous knowledge in farming. This has contributed to deforestation, depletion of our biodiversity and poor agricultural performance in recent times.
With agroecology, we are able to still produce, maintain our soil cover, plant more trees, rear livestock and poultry leading to an increase in income for smallholder farmers. With improved economic activities, there will be a reduction of the youth traveling to southern Ghana to seek greener pastures.
We are therefore appealing for investment in the following areas:
- We are disappointed that there is no budget allocation for the continuation of the one village one dam. We appeal to the government to reconsider putting money for the completion of dams under construction as part of the one village one dam and used the remaining money for desilting of the existing dams that are silted.
- We also appeal to the government to subsidize simple mechanization services and water pumping machines for the youth to continue with dry season gardening and livestock rearing activities
- There is a need to re-orient public expenditure priorities in order to focus more on important agricultural development priorities such as rural infrastructure and training in agroecological farming skills. In particular, we recommend investment in technologies that focus on recognizing, preserving and utilizing appropriate traditional and indigenous knowledge.
- The government needs to be more aggressive in promoting sustainable agriculture to smallholder farmers. This will require an integrated soil fertility management approach. Promote the joint use of organic and inorganic fertilizers in the short run and promote organic fertilizer in the long run.
Your Excellency, for all the above reasons, we urge you to redirect investment priority towards promoting agroecological farming for agriculture today and for the future.
Your humble compatriots:
Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organisational Development
Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana
Ghana National Sesame Business Farmers Association
Meanwhile, through the generous support of the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), The 11thhourproject and The Joint Action for Farmers’ Organizations in West Africa (JAFOWA), members of Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), Ghana National Sesame Business Farmers Association and Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Organizational Development (CIKOD) also embarked on a walk to sensitize the general public on the need to adopt the practices and principles of #Agroecology in the Upper East region.
Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen
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