Oforikrom 2023 best farmer tells GSA to check standards of agro-chemical products
Oforikrom 2023 best farmer tells GSA to check standards of agro-chemical products
Farmers in the Oforikrom municipality have implored the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) to ensure that all agro-chemical products on the market meet the required standard.
The farmers observed that the quality of agro-chemicals they buy keep dropping, affecting production and strengthening resistance of pests.
Speaking after being crowned the 2023 Best Farmer for the municipality, Benjamin Afrane noted “some of the agro-chemicals we use on the farm in recent times do not produce the expected result. Farmers have to use their own discretion to measure volume of pesticides they will apply on their farm, because if you follow the direction on the label, it doesn’t work as it used to. The quality has dropped, but prices keep increasing. The Standard Authority should look into this”.
The 49-year-old, together with eight farmers were honoured at this year’s Farmers Day celebration in the Oforikrom municipality of Ashanti Region for their outstanding performance and contribution towards the country’s food security.
Municipal Chief Executive of Oforikrom, Abraham Kwame Antwi said the Assembly has partnered Crops Research Institute to develop high yielding and disease-resistant spring onion seedlings for the farmers.
“We realize our farmers suffer in getting seedlings for spring onions. They have to import them from Burkina Faso at a high cost. We want to develop our own breed of spring onions to help the farmers, hence, the decision to enter into an MOU with CRI to undertake the research. The seedlings will be easily accessible and affordable to the farmers”.
The Oforikrom MCE has implored the youth to take advantage of the second phase of the Planting for Food and Jobs programme and embrace agriculture and see it as an “economic venture where you go and reap in a peaceful atmosphere”.
Some stakeholders in the agric sectors are convinced with the right support, Ghanaian farmers can produce more than we can eat and this will cut down on food imports, drastically.
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