Small holder farmers from five communities in the Nadowli-Kaleo and Daffiama-Bussie-Issa Districts of the Upper West Region have attended agro-input fairs to develop their business linkages.

The fairs were organised by the Nadowli District Agricultural Development Unit of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and sponsored by the International Fertilizer Development Centre.

The five beneficiary communities are Bussie, Nadowli, Kaleo, Sankana and Kojokperi.

Mr Mahama Salifu, the District Agricultural Engineering, Environment and Land Management Officer, said the fairs would facilitate linkages that would enhance supply and acquisition of farm inputs with a view to contribute to the country’s target of linking 201,136 farmers to agro-input dealers to increase maize yields by 20 per cent.

The farmers were educated on the use of improved/certified maize seeds, fertilizer usage, method and time of application as well as the use of agro-chemicals including herbicides, pesticides and the knapsack sprayer.

Mr Felix Bazung, an Agro-input Dealer called on the authorities to flush out the activities of non-certified agro-input and chemical dealers.