Kassena-Nankana Municipal Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), Mr Joseph Beni Walier, has admonished farmers in the Municipality to avoid farming along river banks.

The act, he said contributed to floods which submerged several farms in the Municipality and caused damage to food and tree crops.

He said the recent floods which affected houses and farms in parts of the Upper East and North East Regions was a climate change issue. “My appeal to farmers along the river banks is that they should desist from farming closer to the rivers to prevent siltation.”

Speaking at this year’s farmer’s day celebration at Bonia, a community in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality, the Municipal Director said siltation was one of the factors that caused flooding of farms.

This year’s celebration, which brought together heads of departments in the Municipality, was on the theme: “Ensuring Agri-business development under COVID-19, challenges and way forward.”

Mr Walier noted that “Equally important is for the beneficiary communities of the One Village, One Dam and other existing dams to protect catchment areas of these dams to prevent siltation.”

He said sustainable management of the environment was important for Agricultural development and further used the opportunity to appeal to residents in the Municipality to protect the environment, especially from bush fires as they approached the harmattan season.

He said there was the need to mitigate the impact of climate change, which negatively affected agricultural productivity and all spheres of human life, adding “The recent floods we encountered is a climate change issue.”

The MoFA Director said in spite of the numerous challenges his outfit faced including; inadequate technical field staff for extension and veterinary services, the Municipality had witnessed significant milestones and successes through their extension service delivery to farmers.

He said the successes were through funding from the Canadian Budgetary Support under the Modernization of Agriculture in Ghana (MAG) and other development partners, “Notwithstanding the COVID-19 pandemic, 70 percent of our farm and home visits to deliver proven technologies to our farmers was achieved,” he said.

Mr Williams Aduum, the Kassena-Nankana Municipal Chief Executive congratulated all farmers in the Municipality, and said “Government as a matter of policy will continue to support farmers to ensure food security in the nation.

The overall best farmer award went to Mr Weyire Wedia, while the rest of the farmers who received awards included Mr Paul Kukula, Mr Akologo Ania, Mr Joseph Nabere Logoke, Mr Bazania Addi, Madam Assibi Bugayire, Mr Richard Ayisana, Mr Ayirewoponu Akwogia and Mr Elijah Bobby.

The rest were Mr Awebura Nabare, Mr Akanbase Baba, Mr Ebenezer Sewura Ayibatu, Mr Timothy Akaneba, Madam Lardi Akanlu, Mr Awinebuno Awantala, Mr Akangu Atayoko, Mr Thomas Akanlonge, Mr Isaac Amongba, Mr Apana Sejara, Madam Aloriwe Nkrumah and Mr Nyaaba Anotorba.

They received prizes ranging from flat-screen television sets, farm tools, refrigerators, bicycles, certificates of honour, and a tricycle for the overall best farmer.