Sefwi Juabeso (W/R), July 19, GNA - Plantain and rice farmers in nine towns in the Sefwi Juabeso-Bia district have undergone training to become experts in their own farming vocation.

The training conducted by the Farmers' Field School (FFS) of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) exposed the farmers to pests and disease management, treatment of planting materials, nursery establishment, land preparation, and fertiliser application, among others.

The farmers were drawn from Essam, Nkwanta, Sayerano, Asuentaa, Ngyerisi, Asuopri, Kwamebikrom, Asikuma and Debiso. Mr George K. Mburathi, Deputy Regional Representative for Africa, urged the participants to apply the technical know-how to produce high yielding quality crops.

He said the workshop was to contribute towards achieving national food security efforts and enable the participants to go into agriculture as a business Mr Mburathi urged them to take advantage of available land, good weather conditions and excellent soil fertility to go into agriculture on large scale to produce for both export and local markets.

Mr Johnson Asiedu-Nketiah, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, urged graduands of the Food Fisheries School to form co-operatives to enable them to secure loans to expand their farms and have bargaining power over their own produce.

Speaking to the Ghana News Agency, Madam Agnes Appiah, a plantain farmer, said: "Now I know how to raise seedlings and protect my farm against diseases."

"This training will not benefit me alone because I will pass on the technical-know how to my children". Professor Kwame Afreh-Nuamah, National Project Director, Agro-Skills Development, said the formation of groups would enable them to find market for their produce and eliminate cheating middlemen.