The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Krowor Municipal Assembly (KroMA), Mr Joshua Nii Bortey has called on farmers and fishermen in the country to adopt climate change resilience agricultural practices to enhance the country’s food security and complement the government’s efforts in building a climate resilient economy.
Mr. Nii Bortey made the call in a speech read on his behalf by the Municipal Coordinating Director, Mrs. Jemima Apedo Kallikrates, at this year’s farmer’s day celebration where Inusah Issifu was awarded the overall best farmer by the department of agriculture.
For emerging the overall best farmer, Inusah Issifu received a brand-new tricycle, a box of NPK fertilizer and insecticide, five cutlasses, two knapsack sprayers, two pairs of wellington boots, a hamper, a sword, and a certificate.
Also, six other farmers and an association received awards in various categories during the event.
They include Fatau Mensah Booda (Best Livestock Farmer), Abdul Karim Adam (Best Crops Farmer), Mr Samuel Borketey Borteye (Best Ali Fisherman), Mr John Agoe Bortey (Best Poli Fisherman), Yesu Mogya Fish Processors Association (Best Processor), and Razak Iddrisu (Best Agricultural Staff).
The event was held on Friday, November 8, 2024 under the theme, “Building Climate Resilience Agriculture for Sustainable Food Security”, and was sponsored by the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, Pharmaceutical Association of Ghana, Junction Mall, Chimoco Ghana Limited, Miniplast Ghana Limited, Crocodile Machete, and Ghandour Cosmetics.
According to Mr Nii Bortey, the adoption of climate change resilience agricultural practices by farmers and fishermen had become important following the recent dry spell experienced in eight regions of the country.
He also said the theme for this year’s farmers’ day celebration resonated with the global climate change challenges, which posed a serious threat to food security across different parts of the world, including Ghana.
Despite the challenges posed by climate change, Mr Nii Bortey commended farmers and fishermen for their perseverance, dedication, and hard work in ensuring that the country produced enough to feed the country and also contribute to its foreign exchange earnings
According to him, the government recognised the pivotal role agriculture played in the country’s national development as it continued to create an enabling environment for farmers and fishermen through incentives and strategic policy intervention programmes to operate.
The Krowor Municipal Assembly, the MCE said, had rolled out various activities for the implementation of government flagship programmes, which have had a positive impact on the people in the municipality.
Some of these activities, he said, were the provision of 300 bags of fish feeds and tarpaulin to fishermen to go into fishing and the training of over 1,800 farmers and processors on climate smart agricultural practices, and the establishment of the Nungua Landing Beach Enforcement Committee to ensure regular supply of premix fuel to fisher folks.
Mr. Nii Bortey further appealed to the farmers and fishermen in the municipality and across the country to adopt climate change resilience agricultural practices such as the cultivation of tolerant crops and water management.
For his part, the Deputy Director of Agriculture at KroMA, Mr Daniel Kanbienaa said despite the challenges that the department of agriculture of KroMA faced, it did it best in ensuring best farming and fishing practices among farmers and fishermen in the municipality.
He explained that in order to ensure food security in the face of the dry spell being experienced in the country, it was important for households to adopt innovative approach to farming such as the practice of small-scale or backyard farming.
“Imagine having a fish farm, poultry, or vegetables in containers, and cassava or plantain somewhere. All you need is salt to put food on your table. Promoting backyard farming and utilising available spaces for agriculture will help farmers adapt to climate change”, he said.
The Krowor Municipal Chief Imam and chairman of the event, Alhaji Mohammed Tijani Swalah in a remark congratulated the award winners and encouraged them to do more while assuring the farmers of the district’s continuous support in their activities.
