By Evans Worlanyo Ameamu
Keta (VR), Sept 17, GNA-Mr Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Keta Constituency, has supported farmers at Anlo-Afiadenyigba with 150 bags of fertilizers to motivate and boost farming activities in the area.
The donation of fertilizers which was valued at GH₵60,000 to local farmers was aimed at marking a significant step towards enhancing farming activities and to improve products in the area.
Mr Gakpey during the donation said that the primary goal of the initiative was to boost food production and improve the livelihoods of hardworking farmers in Keta municipality with the objective of the programme to increase crop yields and contribute to food security and economic well-being in the area.
“Fertilizers play a critical role in modern agriculture by enhancing soil fertility and promoting healthier plant growth, and l hope this support will be transformative one to help farmers overcome challenges related to soil degradation and low productivity,” he said.
Mr Gakpey explained that the programme was not limited to Anlo-Afidenyigba but was designed to extend to all communities across the Keta constituency while the broader approach underscored the commitment to uplifting farming communities throughout the municipality.
He said the government led by President John Dramani Mahama has shown interest in supporting farmers across Ghana through various initiatives with Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, recently distributed 40,000 bags of fertilizers donated by the Kingdom of Morocco to regions including Volta which demonstrated collaborative efforts to aid farmers.
“Generally, the government is supporting farmers including cocoa farmers, as well as price increases and provisions like free fertilizers and agrochemicals indicated the multifaceted approaches to agricultural development in the country.”
He urged other farmers at various communities in the Municipality to exercise patience for their turn and urged all farmers to use the fertilizers for the intended purposes to help boost farming in the area and beyond.
Some beneficiaries GNA engaged expressed excitement about the initiative and pledged to use the fertilizers for various form of crops such as onion, garden eggs, pepper, carrot, tomatoes, okro among other to improve and enhance agricultural productivity and income.
They said agricultural support programme by the MP would have a significant economic implication, which would potentially stimulate local economy and improve farmers’ incomes and contribute to national food security goals.
Meanwhile, Ghana has earlier faced challenges including global fertilizer affordability issues which partly exacerbated by geopolitical events like the Ukraine war and impacted access for smallholder farmers and initiatives such as Yara Ghana’s “Grow Ghana” programme also aimed to address the gaps to provide free fertilizers to boost food security.
GNA
Edited by: Maxwell Awumah/Kenneth Odeng Adade