Bongo Farmers Commend Akufo-Addo Government Framers in Bongo District of the Upper East Region have commended government for its foresight and commitment to the development of Agriculture in Ghana. They said farmers in the district have increased utilization of fertilizers and seed in three folds due to government pro-agric initiatives. They were hopeful their yields in this farming season will equally increase hence the reduction of poverty among farmers in the area. Farmers in the district revealed to Radio Ghana’s Samuel Ayammah after a visit to some farms in the district that the government this year supported them to produce four main crops under its “Planting for Food and Jobs Program which include rice, maize, Soya bean and Sorghum. They observed the government under the Planting for Food and Jobs is equally making provision for storage and marketing facilities of the above mention farm produce. By so doing, the excited farmers believes market access and storage of farm produce will be improved. The District Chief Executive for Bongo, Peter Ayinbisa Ayamga, said the district took delivery of over fifteen thousand bags of fertilizer and some improved seeds. He said the farm inputs were received in tranches and subsequently distributed to farmers who registered under the agricultural revolutionary program. Mr. Ayamga mentioned Smuggling, untimely release of the subsidized fertilizer and the improved seeds, drought and the Fall Army Worms as some of the challenges confronted the flagship program in the district. According to him, some of the challenges are natural and that nothing can be done about it but those that can be resolved he believe the Ministry of Agriculture will take lessons from it and resolve them in the next farming season. He said they did not discriminate against any farmer but rather supported all the farmers who registered under the program irrespective of their political affiliation. He said those who could not register with the district MOFA department they made them to register with the assembly members, saying the move was to make sure that no farmer is left out. He urged people in the district to take anything NPP government rolls out very serious and should not hold back and say it is as usual a political talk. Mr. Ayamga said MOFA directorate have acquired some of the subsidized fertilizer for dry season gardening and so those who want can contact the MOFA directorate. The DCE expressed worry about those who went and cleared the forest reserve and planted their crops. He said the assembly will come after them in the next farming season so they should desist from such behaviour. Touching on ready market for farm produce in the area, Mr. Ayamga said caters of the Ghana School Feeding Program have been tasked to buy from the local farmers who farm in their catchment areas particularly those who registered under the “Planting for Food and Jobs Program. He revealed that the Ghana Buffer Stock Company are mandated to procure food items and supply to the various schools across the country to ensure the successful implementation of the Free Senior High School Policy. The DCE underscored the need for farmers who registered under the agricultural flagship program to register with the Ghana Buffer Stock Company to enable them get ready market for their farm produce. He charged farmers in the area to make their farm produce attractive by repackaging it themselves. He emphasized that no consumer will buy rice full of stones, hence the need for them to add value to their produce. He called on farmers who did not get the chemicals acquired by the Ministry of Agriculture to fight the Fall Army Worms to be patient and rally behind government to expose the canker. Mr. Ayamga said the assembly in collaboration with the district MOFA directorate is putting measures in place to acquire more of the chemicals for the next farming season. GBCONLINE ---DECRYPTED---