Author: Sefakor
Every year, smallholder farmers in Africa suffer yield losses due to changes in timing and length of growing period – a phenomenon induced by changes in rainfall and water availability for irrigation. When farmers record low yields, it is not only their livelihoods that are affected, but the food security, nutritional balance, and an entire value chain of a nation could be plagued and disrupted. Africa’s arable land With Africa possessing more 60 per cent of the world’s arable lands and agriculture employing about 65 per cent of African workers, the sector is key to the continent’s transformation, economic…
Farmers in Ahanta West District of the Western Region have been counting their massive gains through maize production, thanks to some three varieties of maize seedlings. According to a teacher and the team lead for the Ahanta West Maize Growers and Buyers Association, Osagyefo, after introducing the three hybrid seedlings known as Lake, Pioneer and Pannar, farmers in the area have increased their yields about five times of what they used to get in past using local maize seedlings. “In 2010, my school had a national Best Agricultural Farm award and I was introduced to Panna maize seedlings and I…
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations has emphasized the need for government to engage with farmers directly in order to help them take advantage of existing opportunities in the agriculture sector as well as create new ones through engagements. In an address at the third edition of a national dialogue under the auspices of the Ghana Federation of Forest and Farm Producers, National Facilitator of Forest and Farm Facility, Elvis Kuudaar, indicated that it is time for the relevant government agencies to share information with farmers on developing actionable plans to help farmers survive climate change. He…
Ghana Poultry Farmers Association has blamed the high importation of poultry products in Ghana on the collapse of over 85% majority of poultry farms in the country. According to the President of the Ashanti Regional Poultry Farmers Association, Boris Baidoo the collapsed farms were unable to bear the cost of production as it keeps going up. “Look at the imports we make into our country which has collapsed 85% of our poultry farms at this moment in the county. The poultry industry is collapsing, people are unable to grow more birds, those of us who are still in the industry…
Enyonam Manye, host of the Ghanaian Farmer TV Show has been selected as one of the ten outstanding individuals to receive the 2023 IFAJ/Alltech Young Leaders award. This prestigious award from the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists (IFAJ) recognizes young professionals who have shown exceptional skills and leadership potential in agricultural journalism and communications. The Young Leaders will be recognized at the 2023 IFAJ in Canada, in June. They will participate in a special Boot Camp prior to the congress, which will include leadership and skills training as well as farm visits in Alberta, Canada. The IFAJ/Alltech Young Leaders award,…
The prices of tomatoes at local markets have skyrocketed to astronomical levels lately. For instance, a box of tomatoes that was sold at ¢600 earlier this year now goes for ¢2,500. Importers of the product attribute the surge in prices to the high exchange rate of the CFA Franc and the activities of the militant group, ‘Boko Haram’, who they said have been attacking both farmers and importers. According to a report by myjoyonline, some traders in tomato markets within the Kumasi metropolis confirmed the situation. A retailer at Race Course Market, stated that the same quantity of tomato fruits…
The comment section of a Facebook post sharing a success story of some students of the University of Cape Coast was filled with congratulatory messages with some subscribers saying agriculture is the surest way to reduce graduate unemployment in Ghana. Mr. Ackah Jr. is a strong advocate for agribusiness and home gardening wrote on Facebook: “These are Level 400 Agribusiness students from the University of Cape Coast. As part of their students’ enterprise project, they decided to go into vegetable production and sell it to the general public. This is their first harvest and it was all joy. One of…
As part of its activities under the EU LEAN project in the high forest ecological zone of Ghana, Rainforest Alliance has trained selected farmers on alternative livelihoods such as pig farming, beekeeping, cabbage farming, snail farming, and others. Dorcas Amoah, a farmer and beneficiary who also serves as the Vice Chairman of LMB in Sefwi Wiawso and Bopa Community, where Rainforest Alliance is implementing the project dubbed ‘The Landscapes and Environmental Agility across the Nation’ (LEAN), commended the efforts to improve the livelihoods of people in the Western North region. The LEAN project, funded by the European Union for four…
Maphlix Trust Ghana Limited, an agro company is organizing a training program on greenhouse production to make agribusiness more attractive and increase production for higher income among the youth in Ghana and across Africa. The training, scheduled for May 2023, will be held at Akumadan and Bawjiase in the Ashanti and Central Regions, respectively. This comprehensive four-month hands-on certificate program will equip individuals with the skills and knowledge needed for successful all-year-round greenhouse farming, from planting to irrigation, harvesting, packaging, financing, and exporting. The innovative agricultural company is encouraging the populace from Ghana and neighbouring countries to participate in the…
According to a study conducted by the Environmental Science Department of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, a secure land tenure system is essential for farmers to adopt climate-smart agriculture practices. The study aimed to identify the primary factors that facilitate or hinder the implementation of such practices among farming households. Over the course of the research, data was gathered from 1,061 households between October 2020 and October 2021, using a mixed-method approach in three phases: October to December 2020, February to March, and August to October 2021. “We collected data using a mixed method approach in October to…