Farmlands destroyed as residents of Kpasenkpe appeal for support

Correspondence from North East Region

Some farmers at Kpasenkpe in the West Mamprusi Municipality of the North East Region are bearing the brunt of the torrential rainfalls which they say have destroyed their farmlands along the White Volta River banks.

Some of the farmers in the area lamented that their immature crops in the low land areas have already

Read full articlebeen submerged by the torrential rainfalls despite the Bagre Dam spillage which is still pending.

According to the residents, they want the NADMO officials to provide them with canoes for them to salvage their immature crops before the Bagre Dam spill to complicate the situation.

John Sibiri, a farmer at Kpasenkpe in an interview said that they have no option to farm anywhere hence, they are compelled to farm along the river bank.

"The problem is the scarcity of the land. The land is not enough for the people around the area because where we are, we are compelled to farm there, even though we know that even the rainwater will submerge our crops but we have no other choice, so there is no option of land here," John Sibiri said.

He also appealed to government and authorities to support them with fertilizer, other farm inputs, and canoes for them to salvage their immature crops.

"We have been appealing for help so if they can support us with easy access to fertilizer or we can move to places that are not in low land areas, even if we can get it in other communities or even if they can help us with canoes for us to salvage our immature crops. That is our challenge," he appealed.

Another farmer, Joseph K. Daabo whose 15 acres of farmland got inundated in the water also appeal to government and NADMO to find ways of supporting the farmers in the area to prevent them from experiencing hunger this year.

"At the riverside, I have 15 acres but the rain alone has destroyed part of it. So as I speak now, the Bagre Dam water has not yet entered our place but we have heard that they are going to open. In fact, it is not easy on us and then we appealing to the NADMO officials, but it would have been good if some of them come around probable to see how best they can help us," he said.

He however bemoaned that NADMO officials are not helping them because last year a promise to support them never came to fruition after they were given one bowl of beans each and two bowls of corn.

"NADMO should assist farmers, they have a way of helping us. They should come around, and make sure that the right things are done, but last year they came and deceived us. They came with so many things that they are going to assist farmers but in the end, nothing was given only one bowl of beans and two bowls of corn," he accused.

Meanwhile, the NADMO officeholders have announced that the Bagre Dam spill-off will start soon but the residents along the White and the Black Volta should expect the spillage in three days.