Bongo-Tankoo Noyine Co-Operative Farmers Society Limited (TANDA), in the Bongo District of the Upper East Region is appealing for support to help mechanize a high yielding borehole for irrigation in the Tankoo community.

The group said over the years the association and other farmers in the community had expressed concern about the lack of commitment of the Bongo District Assembly towards the mechanization of a high yielding borehole in Tankoo for irrigation purposes.

“The area as you are aware experiences only one rainy season and farmers in the community have virtually nothing to do during the dry season,” the group said and appealed to the District Assembly and other stakeholders including Non Governmental Organizations for assistance.

The Coordinator of the group, Mr Alfred Asebila, said according to research findings established by experts, the borehole was the fifth highest yielding borehole in the country and had the capacity of supplying irrigable water to large tracks of land for irrigation farming.

The Coordinator said over the years the Association and other farmers in the community had been concerned about the lack of commitment of the Bongo District Assembly towards the mechanization of the high yielding borehole. He said if the borehole was mechanized for irrigation it would not only serve the people of Tankoo but communities such as Adaboya, Kantia, Beon and Apowongo among others.

He said if such a facility was installed in the community it would have multipurpose functions including sources of drinking water for animals and for building purposes.

“Because of lack of an irrigation facility in our community our nutritional status is low as a result of our inability to get water in the dry season to farm vegetables which is good for our health”, Mr Asebila said.

Mr Francis Akugre, a member of the Association, said the absence of the facility in the area had led to many of the youth to desert the area to look for menial jobs elsewhere.

Madam Esther Abugre, a member of the community, said if they had an irrigation facility in the area the women’s group would have embarked on vegetable farming and trade to support the upkeep of their families.

Mr Ernest Beyuo Aayel, BUSAC Fund provider, impressed upon the District Assembly and other stakeholders to assist the community with an irrigation facility and called on the group not to relent in their efforts but to continue to press home their demands through advocacy and lobbying.