By
Jerry Azanduna, GNA
Bawku (UE) Jan.8,
GNA – Livestock and Vegetable farmers in some communities in the Bawku area
have started making good use of the dams constructed under the one Village one
dam policy.
The Farmers have
started preparing lands for irrigation farming while their livestock have
source of drinking water.
Farmers in five
Communities in the Bawku Municipality, four in Garu, three in Bawku West, four
in Binduri and five in the Pusiga
districts are currently using the dams for irrigation this dry season with the
optimism that they would produce enough food to enhance food security in the
area.
They are growing
Onion, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Carrots, cabbage and green leafy vegetables.
Others are also
cultivating groundnuts, rice and maize.
The idea of the
policy by government was to encourage all year round farming in the northern
part of the country, with each District to benefit from ten dams.
Hajia Hawa
Ninchemah, the Bawku Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), speaking in an interview
with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Wednesday in Bawku, lauded the policy as it
had begun to provide jobs and would soon increase the income of the farmers.
“When the projects
in all the districts are completed the dams will encourage many people to do
all year farming and rear as many animals as they want due to the availability
of water and thus ensure food security in the area”, she said.
She said out of the
ten dams ear-marked for the Municipality, five were completed and being used
while two were 80 per cent complete and three were at a tender stage of
construction.
“As you know the
Bawku area is an agricultural hub noted for its vegetable production and the
dams will be of much help to many”.
Mr Paul Azumah
Abugri, the District Chief Executive for Tempane said the dams in his district
were much appreciated as it would boost both crop and animal production, “this
area is a potential livestock farming area that would complement the Rearing
for Food and Jobs programme”, he added.
He said the
provision of human development policies that would project the welfare of the
citizenry was a priority to government and it was rolling out proactive
policies that would ensure quality livelihood of the people.
Mr Mohammed Paeda, a
Vegetable and livestock farmer at the Kolnaba community in the Pusiga district
lauded the flagship programmes and said his livestock would no longer roam in
search of water since the community had a dam to provide water for the animals.
He said most of
their livestock such as cattle, goats, and sheep among others formerly had to
trek long distances in search of water and that exposed them to thieves.
GNA
