-After Bumper Harvest

The Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) has produced bumper harvest of maize and other cereals, thus creating sells and marketing difficulties which the authority is trying to address.

SADA, in collaboration with service implementers, undertook the production of maize, rice and beans in its ecological zone with a target of 5.0 metric tons per hectare within five years but the target had almost been achieved in just a year with 4.9 metric tons per hectare achieved this year.

The authority introduced ‘pannar 53’, a variety of maize to farmers in its catchment area through service providers and supported the ploughing and supply of inputs such as fertilizer and chemicals resulting in the success.

Alhaji Gilbert Seidu Iddi, the Chief Executive Officer of the SADA, said this in Tamale on Thursday during a meeting by service providers which was aimed at finding solutions on how best to handle the bumper harvest situation to avoid post harvest losses.

The meeting was attended by service providers of SADA, off-takers and some financial institutions to brainstorm on modalities to buy the product of the farmers especially the maize.

He expressed the hope that other projects being implemented by SADA such as the forestation project, the guinea fowl project and the dry season farming would yield positive results to transform the northern belt of the country.

Alhaji Iddi said SADA was in discussion with a company which had expressed interest in setting up a biscuit factory in the north and work would soon start, stressing that “SADA will continue to use service providers to achieve its target goals”.