Peasant farmers call for increased investment in Agro-ecology farming
The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has called on government to increase investments in agro-ecology farming to improve on the agriculture sector.
Mr Charles Kwowe Nyaaba, the Programmes Officer of PFAG, said there was the need for Agro-ecology farming, because there was a failure of current concept of focusing on industrial agriculture as solution to food security challenges.
Mr Nyaaba was speaking at two separate dialogue meetings with farmers and officials of districts assemblies in the Brong Ahafo and Upper East Regions in Techiman and Paga respectively.
The purpose of the meeting was to promote Agro-ecology farming practice through increased budgetary allocation of district assemblies in support of sustainable agriculture.
The meetings formed part of activities on a two-year Open Society Initiative of West Africa (OSIWA) funded project titled “Agro-ecology Farming, Food Systems and Political Participation of Small Scale Farmers in Ghana.”
He explained that Agro-ecology farming practice as a situation where there was limited application of external chemical inputs.
“This type of farming is environmentally friendly, have potential for poverty reduction in rural areas and provides nutrition for local people due to mixed cropping and mixed farming approach,” he added.
He said the Ghana Commercial Agricultural Project, the Fertilizer Subsidy Project and recent government flagship programme (“Planting for Food and Jobs”) have all failed to factor in environmental sustainability and climate change resilient and adaptation.
He, therefore, appealed to the local assemblies to include climate change related issues and capacity building of farmers in agro-ecology farming in their annual action plans.
Mr Maamah James, the Techiman South Director of the Department of Agriculture expressed the willingness to support the promotion of agroecology farming in Techiman.
He tasked PFAG members in the District to present a detailed proposal for consideration in developing the District level agriculture budget.
Nana Ameyaw, the Regional Focal Person for PFAG in the Brong Ahafo said government should focus more on small scale farmers because they fed the nation as compared to the large scale/commercial farmers who exported their produce.
He suggested that, government should nominate a representative of PFAG to the District Assembly to help promote agriculture.
Mr Isaac Babia, PFAG Focal Person for Paga, said with agro-ecology farming, farmers could rely on other crops for survival in case of main crop failure.
He, therefore, appealed to officers of the district assemblies to help promote the concept of agro-ecology in order to help preserve the environment.
After the deliberations, the participants were conducted to PFAG’s Agro-ecology Demonstration farms to have first-hand experience of agro-ecology concept.
PFAG is currently constructing a farm house and seed bank at the demonstration farms to host farmers’ Credit Union and also serve as a Seed Bank to preserve seeds of economic value that are getting extinct.
Source: GNA