Zebilla (U/E), Oct. 28, GNA - The Bawku East and Bawku West Districts are to start with irrigation pumps on pilot basis to produce three crops a year this dry season using water from the White Volta. To this effect the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) has ordered 20 pumps for youth and women's groups in Bolgatanga, Bawku West and Bawku East Districts.
Mr Roy Ayariga, Upper East Regional Director of MOFA and Presiding Member (PM) of the Zebilla District Assembly, announced this at its second ordinary session of the Assembly at Zebilla. Mr Ayariga said a visit to Burkina Faso had shown that farmers in that country were able to produce three times a year using water pumps and water from the White Volta which also ran through some of the Districts in the Region.
He said the farmers in Burkina Faso made a lot of money from fresh corn during the dry season and expected that farmers in Bawku East and Bawku West could cultivate onion, pepper and corn after the rainy season using the same source of water.
Mr Ayariga said most the communities in the Region had been asking for dams for irrigation but only the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) and Village Infrastructure Project (VIP) had been engaged in meeting the hot demand.
He said a video clip on the had been shown to donor agencies and expressed the hope that soon "the Zebilla District in particular will run out of land for dams".
Mr Ayariga appealed to Assembly Members to organise their groups to benefit from the facilities available.
He said he had realised that he could help the Assembly better by combining his position as PM with that of Regional Director of MOFA to bring development to the District rather than supporting Assembly Members to quarrel with the Administration over limited financial benefits.