Agricultural Minister and Member of Parliament for Abetifi, Bryan Acheampong, has stated that the looming food insecurities which will be likely to be experienced throughout the country should be blamed on climate change and not lack of irrigation on farm lands.
According to the minister, the drastic change in climatic conditions is the core reason for the drought in about eight regions in Ghana.
Speaking to Joy News on Thursday, August 29, 2024, the Abetifi lawmaker maintained that, the Ghana Meteorological Agency had given government heads-up of the climate situation indicating a change in the planting season; an information that never reached Ghanaian farmers.
He told the host that, “this shift in the planting season, which is a fundamental change caused by climate change, disrupted our agricultural planning.”
“We invested heavily in inputs, training, land development, seeds, and fertilizers, but with this change, all our efforts were compromised.”
He further stated that, although the climate change cannot be controlled, however, there are measures the government is planning on implementing to mitigate the effect the drought will have on Ghanaians as far as food security is concerned adding that irrigation is one such measure, allowing for year-round farming independent of rainfall.
However, Mr Acheampong clarified that developing irrigation systems requires significant investment which is very different form the small earth dams built under the NPP government’s "One District, One Dam" initiative.
The Minister highlighted government's efforts in expanding irrigation projects across the country, mentioning ongoing projects in areas like the Afram Plains, Tono, and Upper West regions, where 19 small irrigation projects are currently underway.
Bryan Acheampong also noted that there are 15 projects ongoing in the Northern Region, aimed at creating small earth dams or dugouts to capture rainwater for agricultural and livestock use.
He stressed that these dams, designed to hold rainwater during the rainy season, have largely been successful in serving their intended purposes over the years, such as providing water for household use, livestock, and small-scale farmers.
"We must always measure an initiative against its intended purpose," he said.
He assured Ghanaians of government commitment to expanding irrigation systems in the country in order to provide farmers the luxury of farming across the various seasons in the year.
Source: Kobina Darlington/peacefmonline.com
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