Farmers in Birim Central Municipality have said the West African Agricultural Productivity Two (WAAP2) project to boost the production of sheep and goats in the municipality has been beneficial.

The farmers said the introduction of the project, initiated by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), had helped them to acquire modern skills in goat and sheep rearing.

It had also helped them to increase the population of their animals, they said.

The farmers said these in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) under the Media Auditing and Tracking of Development Project, sponsored by the Strengthening of Transparency, Accountability and Responsiveness – Ghana (STAR-Ghana).

STAR-Ghana is a multi-donor pooled funding programme (funded by DFID, DANIDA, USAID and EU) to increase the influence of civil society and Parliament in the governance of public goods and service delivery, with the ultimate goal of improving the accountability and responsiveness of Ghana’s government, traditional authorities and the private sector.

It has thus partnered the media to track the progress of some development projects to achieve its goals.

Madam Alifatu Amidu of Badukrom Village, a beneficiary, told the GNA that the project had been of tremendous assistance to her so she had decided to make animal production her basic source of livelihood.

Mr John Asuman, who rears goats at Nyameti Village, expressed his appreciation to the Agricultural Extension Agents on the project and his colleagues.

The farmers, however, appealed to the veterinary service officers to pay regular visits to interact with the farmers and offer them the needed technical advice.

The farmers also appealed to the Municipal Assembly and the Department of Feeder Roads to rehabilitate the poor roads leading to the villages to enable them to access the markets for their produce.

Under the WAPP2 Project, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) in August, introduced new breeds of goats and sheep to farmers to boost livestock production in the country.

The project is aimed at increasing the population of small ruminants like sheep and goats and to promote higher protein intake by the populace.

It is also to enhance the income of farmers.