Bolgatanga (U/E), June 1, GNA - Mr Roy Ayariga, Upper East Regional Director of Food and Agriculture, has identified poor soil fertility management as the biggest challenge undermining food production in the Region.

He explained that continuous cropping on one piece of land; high population growth and bush burning were some of the factors undermining soil fertility, which had led to persistent food shortage and the demand of the Region for food aid over the past five years.

Mr Ayariga, who was speaking with the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga, said there was no useless land anywhere since every soil could be assessed and made productive.

He said traditional food varieties such as sorghum and millet were also out of tune with modern trends of food production since they took between 140 and 150 days to mature.

As part of the roadmap to reverse the trend new varieties, which takes between 90 and 100 days to mature, has been introduced. Mr Ayariga said tree cropping and integrated approach towards livestock raising, cultivation of mango, cashew and shea butter along the White Volta and the stepping up of tomato; onion and maize production to put money into the pockets of farmers and end the annual ritual of food shortage.

He expressed the need for more arable lands to be irrigated to end the over dependence of farmers on rain fed agriculture and asked farmers to establish watering receptacles for irrigation, fish farming and livestock production along the White Volta. Mr Ayariga called for the use of organic rather that inorganic fertilizer to promote sustainable agriculture. He commended GLOWA Volta Projects, a German based non-governmental organization, for assisting the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to promote sustainable agricultural practices in the Region. 01 June 06