From Isaac AIDOO, Cape Coast
Members of the Central Regional Apex Farmers Association (CRAFA) have appealed to government for support to produce maize, foodstuffs, vegetables and other staples to help ameliorate the plight of senior high schools facing food shortages in the central region.
Mr Jonathan Addo who is into agribusiness told this reporter, with his over 200 acres of land, he could produce more food to help curb the food shortages.
“We consume a lot of maize in this region and the country at large so beyond producing to meet the general public, increased maize production will help boost government’s school feeding programme,” he stated.
The appeal was made at the opening of the Trade, Tourism and Investment Fair last Saturday in Cape Coast in the Central region. The one week Expo is themed: “Promoting Trade, Tourism and Investment in the Central Region – Challenges, Prospects and Solutions.”
More than 200 Small and Medium Enterprises are participating in the week-long event, which seeks to promote indigenous businesses and stimulate economic activities in the region.
They include companies in agro-processing, agrochemicals, jewellery, clothing and accessories, herbal medicine, arts and crafts, alcohol production, water production and cosmetics.
Mr Addo lamented lack of support for farmers in the region, a development he described as demoralizing for farmers.
“It appears government hardly sees farmers in the central region as part of the farming community in Ghana. This is because there is no form of support given to farmers in the region to promote, boost farming activities and help feed the Ghanaian population,” he submitted.
To deal with the incidence of food shortages being experienced across Senior High Schools in the country and especially in the central region, government could support farmers in the region to produce more than enough to feed students.
Under the Free Senior High School programme, government, Mr Addo said could invest in farmers in the central region so we can produce and supply the schools so the cost of buying foodstuffs to feed the students could come down drastically for government.
“I produce quality maize seeds, I’m also into the cultivation of vegetables and so if I have support from government in the form of machines and other inputs I can produce more,” he stated.
Farmers market appeals for more support
Chairman of CRAFA, Samuel Mr Annan explained that the farmers market had been formed to do away with middlemen who would normally buy produce cheaply from the farmers only to turn round and sell the same products at cut-throat prices to consumers.
“I was at the kotokuraba market this afternoon and one olonka of maize costs GH¢15.00 but when you go to the hinterlands you buy the same quantity at GH¢7.00 per olonka,”
Mr Annan called for sponsors to support farmers to produce more for the region and the country at large.
“The maize matures within three to four months. We need quality maize seeds. The seeds that we can plant to get at least 15 to 20bags per acre,” he explained.
He gave the assurance that farmers in that region were ready to go into serious production of foodstuffs and other items.
SOURCE: The Finder/Ghana