MCE advocates women inclusion in policy interventions

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Builsa North, Madam Vida Akantagriwen Anaab, has urged the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to ensure women’s inclusion in various policy interventions in the agriculture sector.

She said most women across the Municipality were actively involved in farming and livestock rearing and should not be left out of any government policy intervention in the agriculture sector.

She said even though the COVID-19 pandemic affected supply of government’s subsidised fertilizers, a total of 10,700 NPK fertilizers were supplied to the Municipality under the Fertilizer Subsidy Programme.

At the National Farmer's Day celebration held at Chuchuliga on the theme; “Planting for Food and Jobs – Consolidating Food Systems in Ghana,” Madam Anaab said through the Rearing for Food and Jobs, 30 livestock farmers were selected from the Municipality and benefitted from 1,500 sheep and goats, while 12 commercial guinea fowl farmers also had 6,000 guinea fowls.

The MCE said government’s interventions were to modernise agriculture and mentioned the Planting for Food and Jobs, and Planting for Export and Rural Development as some of the initiatives.

Bush fires continued to threaten agricultural productivity in the area, she said, and called on stakeholders, especially chiefs and assembly members, to help fight the menace as the Harmattan approached.

She congratulated the awardees for the feat and encouraged them to use the honour as a springboard to work hard to boost the food basket of the area.

Mr. Ibrahim Sumara Alidu, the Builsa North Municipal Director of MoFA, said the theme showed the important role agriculture played in the economic growth and development of the country.

It is estimated that the sector currently employed about 44 percent of the nation’s workforce, most of whom were in the peri-urban and rural areas, he said.

“The focus now is for the sector to see agriculture as business that responds to the economic growth of the people and not just agriculture for the purposes of feeding the households”.

Twenty-two farmers received various prizes including bicycles, certificates, cutlasses, and soap, while Mr Atoosigo Akaamwani from Tiedema, a community in the Municipality, was adjourned the Overall Best Farmer.

He took home a tricycle, knapsack sprayer, a radio set, certificate, pair of Wellington boots, cutlass and weedicide.

Mr. Isaac Amondem from Wiaga and Madam Akua Ayaanyona from Chuchuliga-Nawaasa emerged as the first and second runners-up, respectively.