The anxiety among farmers is that, the country facing food crisis next year is palpable. The complaints from farmers across the country, regarding the lack of rainfall has been simmering.
Although, it is the farming season, the northern part of the country, as well as the middle belt, have seen little to no rain for the past two months, devastating crops and leaving farmers distraught.
Some affected farming communities in the Bono area include Techiman, Kintampo, and Nkoranza with the southern part of the Volta Region and the Greater Accra Region also experiencing the same ordeal.
In some of these areas, farmers have been waiting for rain to plant crops, but the expected rainfall has not materialised, while those who have planted have experienced crop failures.
According to the Chief Executive Officer of Tibzaa Farms at Sakoya in the Northern Region, Mahama Sintaro, while expressing his frustration in an interview, said his maize and rice farms close to 2,000 hectares were drying up due to the lack of rain.
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Another farmer Ayass Gazalle, conveyed worry about repaying his bank loan, saying, “I would be in bad business if we don’t get rain now.”
The situation has become so critical that some Imams have resorted to prayer, appealing to God for much-needed rainfall for this year’s farming season, which began in April, to be fruitful, only brought it starkly into public focus.
The dire situation persuades us to urge the two main political parties, led by John Dramani Mahama and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, to as a matter priority, stop for a moment to think about the impending food crisis next year and proffer solutions to avert or minimize it.
In our considered opinion, they is the need leverage on technology, providing basic infrastructure, soft loans and farm inputs to farmers and other critical players in the small and medium enterprises sector of the economy.
Perhaps this is why the Planting for Food and Jobs, as well as the New Patriotic Party’s promise of One Village One Dam, to ensure sustainable food security, economic empowerment and improved livelihoods, deserves special mention.
Food prices are already out of the reach for many Ghanaians, the erratic rainfall, which many experts attribute to climate change, is leading to crop losses, if we cross over into September without rains, then we better brace up for what is coming.
The above is the reason why this newspaper is worried that, none of the presidential candidate is making any bold statement to tackle food insecurity.
Agriculture, no longer depend on rainfall, irrigation is the best way to ensure all year round supply of foodstuff.
We, therefore urge all the political parties to begin the conversation, so we will not be caught napping.
