Savannah News Online Reporting Only What Matters Most
Related Articles
Wa, Ghana – One of the plans the Nana Akuffo Addo government took under the Planting For Food and Jobs (PFJ) to further boost the Agricultural sector in 2016 was the 10 year cashew development plan.
As part of the plan to boost the production of cashew, the Rural Development Department of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, will be spearheading the initial production of seedlings for the cultivation of cashew.
“Under the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) project, all 216 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives have been given oversight responsibility for the production of the cashew seedlings.
In the Upper West Region, Daffiama Bussie Issa District, Wa West district and other parts of the country have since launched and distributed cashew seedlings to farmers whilst farmers in the Wa Municipality are yet to benefit from the initiative.
A cashew farmer, Mohammed Saani said, he only acquires his seedlings from Nikpewura farms, a privately owned farm which is into the sale of cashew and mango seedlings.
He called on other farmers to embrace cashew farming as a commercial business.
On his part, Mr. Mohammed Peturi Tabiehinaa Yakubu expressed interest in cashew farming but due to financial constraints he could not start this year he indicated. He expresses hope that, the Municipality will support farmers like them under the PFJ ten year development plan.
Meanwhile, the Owner of Nikpewura Farms, Mr Saeed Ismail who doubles as an Agric officer said, cashew is one cash crop that is capable of bridging the gap between the North and the South in terms of development.
He noted that, a lot of farmers are now buying the cashew seedlings to start their own cashew farms in different parts of the region such as Yibile, Charengu, Biihe and some parts of Wa West, adding that, about 3000 seedlings were sold out and currently they are preparing 15,000 to be sold. The CEO said they offer free extension services to the cashew farmers as an encouragement for other farmers.
Mr Saeed further indicated that, with cashew except they are five years, one can always do mixed cropping adding that, “Cashew will curb the situation where farmers in northern Ghana had to travel to the south to do menial jobs because they will still have cashew to cater for during dry season”.
According to a cash crop specialist, Abdul Halim Saeed with the Wa Municipal Agric office, he says cashew sells more than one thousand Ghana cedis far more than cocoa, noting that, the Brazilian types within three years it matures.
He said, now cashew is the eye of the world, as he elaborated that it is used for production of aircraft fuel and also the fluid is used for the manufacturing of tie and die materials, inc among others, all extracted from cashew.
The extension officer further indicated that, cashew is one of the cash crop that grows well in the north than it does in the south. He therefore urged every farmer in the Upper West Region to take advantage of the opportunity to do at least one acre of cashew because it presents a brighter future for farmers in the Region.
The Upper West Regional Director of Agriculture, Mr. Susu Yeboah assured farmers who are yet to benefit from the government initiative not to worry because the program is for 10 years and it has just started last year.
The Regional Director added that, only Six out of the eleven Districts in the Upper West Region were able to implement the program. The rest of the districts are working with Ministry of Agriculture (MOFA) to start the program next farming season.
Source: myradiowaa
