Wa, Dec. 20, GNA - The Upper West agricultural development project (UWADEP) has, over the years, supported farmers in the region to improve on livestock production and animal traction. The project, which officially ended in June this year benefited a total of 275 livestock farming groups made up of 6,950 individuals who were supported with various sums of money to improve on their production levels.

Mr. J.Y Faalong, Regional Director of Food and Agriculture, who announced this during a two-day validation workshop at Wa said the project also supported farmers with foreign breeds of livestock which included; sheep, goats, guinea-fowls among others.

He said under the project, a total of 750 pairs of oxen and donkeys were given to 100 farmers from 22 communities in the region to improve on agricultural production, while a total of 300 farmers were also trained on the use of oxen and donkey farming in the region.

The regional director, who is also the co-ordinator of the project said a total of 35 farming groups involving 660 members were also given a total of 696 bullocks to facilitate their farming activities in the region.

He said a number of feeder roads were also constructed and rehabilitated under the project to facilitate the carting of food from farming areas to the marketing centres in the region, adding that the project had tremendously enriched the farmers who hitherto could not afford paying the school fees of their wards.

Mr. Sahanun Mogtari, Upper West Regional Minister, who addressed participants commended the implementers of the project for all the success it had chalked and urged the farmers to be inspired by the success of the project to work harder in the coming years.

He called on the seed growers association to embark on an aggressive educational campaign on good yielding seeds, which would discourage farmers from using low quality seeds, which do not help the farmers. The project, which started eight years ago supported farmers in rural roads, animal traction, credit facilities, water resource, women participation and rural credit components.