The International Centre for Soil Fertility and Agricultural Development (IFDC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) have commenced a project to ensure that agro chemicals are available and accessible to farmers in the Volta region.
The project which is under the auspices of the Ghana Out growers Agro Input Association and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to expand crops of farmers using environmental friendly farming practices.
Besides, a credit facility component of the project is being accessed by farmer groups and dealers in agro chemicals to expand their businesses.
Benjamin Atidjah Business Development and Credit Specialist of IFDC made these disclosures to the Times in an interview after a farmers forum at Dededo in the Ho municipality.
It was organised by IFDC to sensitize farmer groups in the municipality on modern trends in farming type of agro chemicals to use and access to credit facility to enable farmers increase their yield.
Mr. Atidjah said more than 200 farmers in the region had been earmarked and sensitized on pilot basis on how to access credit facilities to expand their produce under the project.
In addition they have been educated on modern trends in agriculture and to avoid post-harvest loses.
Asked whether the credit facility covers the purchase of agro chemicals, he replied in the affirmative and was quick to add that recognised farmer groups would have their prices on the inputs subsidized..
In an answer to a question, Mr. Atidjah expressed worry about the situation where some farmers mixed fertilizer with diesel as a way of increasing the fertilizer content and warned them against the situation.
“We are killing ourselves using slow poison if you continue to mix substances with agro chemicals with the intention of increasing your crops”, he said.
Mr Atidjah disclosed that 3,000 agro chemicals, adding that 48 farmer groups would be expected to deal with licensed agro chemical sellers.
In response to questions on the environment, misuse of agro chemicals and health hazards, he explained that the EPA and agriculture extension officers had been involved in the project to sensitize farmers on the content, types of uses and wearing of protective clothing to avoid infection and contamination.
The project which is under the auspices of the Ghana Out growers Agro Input Association and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is expected to expand crops of farmers using environmental friendly farming practices.
Besides, a credit facility component of the project is being accessed by farmer groups and dealers in agro chemicals to expand their businesses.
Benjamin Atidjah Business Development and Credit Specialist of IFDC made these disclosures to the Times in an interview after a farmers forum at Dededo in the Ho municipality.
It was organised by IFDC to sensitize farmer groups in the municipality on modern trends in farming type of agro chemicals to use and access to credit facility to enable farmers increase their yield.
Mr. Atidjah said more than 200 farmers in the region had been earmarked and sensitized on pilot basis on how to access credit facilities to expand their produce under the project.
In addition they have been educated on modern trends in agriculture and to avoid post-harvest loses.
Asked whether the credit facility covers the purchase of agro chemicals, he replied in the affirmative and was quick to add that recognised farmer groups would have their prices on the inputs subsidized..
In an answer to a question, Mr. Atidjah expressed worry about the situation where some farmers mixed fertilizer with diesel as a way of increasing the fertilizer content and warned them against the situation.
“We are killing ourselves using slow poison if you continue to mix substances with agro chemicals with the intention of increasing your crops”, he said.
Mr Atidjah disclosed that 3,000 agro chemicals, adding that 48 farmer groups would be expected to deal with licensed agro chemical sellers.
In response to questions on the environment, misuse of agro chemicals and health hazards, he explained that the EPA and agriculture extension officers had been involved in the project to sensitize farmers on the content, types of uses and wearing of protective clothing to avoid infection and contamination.
