The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has organised a day's workshop at Techiman as part of national efforts to check drought and desertification.

The 45 participants are expected to come out with pragmatic proposals towards formulating a national action programme on drought in the district.

They included representatives of the Techiman District Assembly sub-committee on Environment, district assemblies, environmental Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), traditional rulers and market groups.

Mr Samuel S.G.A. Nlary, Techiman District Co-ordinating Director, noted that drought and desertification had gained global attention.

"This has made countries in the sub-region to devote attention and resources to issues relating to the environment because of its importance to human survival."

Mr Nlary urged the participants to fully participate in deliberations at the workshop and evolve concrete proposals for the national action programme.

Mr Joseph Edmund, Acting Regional Programme Officer of the EPA, explained that the national programme would be formulated and implemented under the Savannah Resources Management Project.

The programme will seek to mitigate the problems of drought and desertification in the drought-prone areas of the country, he added.

"Within the last couple of years, the Brong Ahafo Region has lost its enviable status as the bread basket of the country due to large-scale wanton degradation of its rich natural land as well as other national resources through human activities.

"The process of continued land degradation caused by our activities is gradually leading us to desertification."

Mr Edmund noted that the overall effect of "our irresponsible acts" has been the decline in crop yields, depletion of water and forest resources, and poverty among those who depend on the land for their livelihood.

Mr J.H. Darbo, a forester, called for the rigid enforcement of laws protecting the environment.