Fourteen agricultural extension officers in the Ningo-Prampram District have received a motorbike and helmet each to enable them reach farmers frequently in the area.
Presenting the motorbikes to the beneficiaries, Mr Jonathan Teye Doku, Ningo-Prampram District Chief Executive, noted that the bikes which would also help in the achievement of objectives of government’s “Planting for Food and Jobs” policy, was a Canadian support to modernize agriculture in the district and beyond.
Mr Doku indicated that the officers who hitherto could not frequently visit farms in the hinterlands of the District due to transportation challenges, could effectively do so now to introduce new farming methods, seedlings and other important things to them.
He said it was about time the country invested more into the agricultural sector to produce enough food and reduce the importation of food items such as rice, tomatoes and other vegetables.
The Assembly, he said, would be responsible for the fuelling and maintenance of the motorbikes, cautioning the officers against using them for their personal activities as it was purely meant for field work.
He also advised them against careless riding and flaunting motor traffic laws, reminding them that they must always have their crush helmets on.
Mr Fred Boadi-Asamoah, Ningo-Prampram District Agricultural Director, receiving the bikes on behalf of the officers, said the programme to provide motorbikes to extension officers started three years ago to enhance agriculture in the country.
Mr Boadi-Asamoah indicated that by the end of 2018, a total of 1,465 farmers benefitted from the planting for food and jobs project adding that, his outfit had targeted at least 3000 more to benefit this year.
Mr Dominic Tawiah, Desk Officer for the Planting for Food and Jobs, told the Ghana News Agency that a total of 844 hectares of land was currently being cultivated by beneficiary farmers in the district.
Mr Tawiah added that the farmers were mostly engaged in watermelon farming as well as onion, chili pepper and rice while the Dawhenya irrigation farms produced aromatic and jasmine rice types.
Beneficiary farmers, he noted, benefitted from heavily subsidized fertilizers and seeds explaining that, the MPK and Urea fertilizers cost at least GHs150 on the market while beneficiaries received it at a cost of GHs70 and GHs75 respectively.
He further added that cabbage seedlings were sold for GHs300 while beneficiary small scale farmers under the programme paid only GHs70 for it.
He therefore urged farmers in the District who were yet to register with the agric office to do so in order to cut cost and grow their farms and profits.
