Wa, Oct 16, GNA - Mr Sahanun Mogtari, Upper West Regional Minister, has attributed the reduction in rice production in the northern sector of the country to indiscriminate bush burning, which affects farms. Speaking at a seminar for students and the youth at Wa on Friday, he called on the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), to step up its campaign against the practice and other disasters. "We shall be able to feed ourselves and others outside the country if we are able to control bushfires, which bring about great losses on our farms," the Regional Minister said.

The seminar to mark the Region's celebration of World Disaster Reduction Day was on the theme "learning from yesterday's earthquakes and bushfires to reduce tomorrow's hazards".

Alhaji Sulemana Yiremea, Deputy National Co-ordinator of NADMO, said the Organisation had embarked on a sustainable afforestation project throughout the country to reduce disasters. About 900 disaster volunteer groups to establish nurseries to raise 70 million seedlings for the project had also been formed, Alhaji Yiremea, said at the seminar attended by about 200 students form second cycle institutions and other youth groups. He said NADMO had cultivated over 500 acres of pepper, tomatoes, soya-beans and garden eggs throughout the country and was empowering groups to engage in off-season agro-activities to supplement their income.

The Deputy NADMO Co-ordinator said the Organisation had distributed tractors to the three northern regions to assist the youth to expand their farms and called on the various groups to make maximum use of the facility.

Mr Timothy Dombo, Upper West Regional Co-ordinator of NADMO, said the Organisation would intensify its educational programmes on the need to take precautionary measures against disasters. He appealed to students to take special interest in afforestation and issues on disaster reduction and measures since the future depended on them.