By Kingsley Mamore, GNA
Dambai (O/R) Aug. 18, GNA – Mr John Maakorpu, National Public Relations Director of Konkomba Youth Association (KOYA), has called on Konkomba, Bassare, Bimoba, Chamba and other Gurma-speaking groups in Ghana to strengthen their unity to promote food security and agricultural development in the country.
He said the various Gurma groups had strong historical, cultural, linguistic, and agricultural ties which could serve as a foundation for greater cooperation in addressing food production challenges facing the nation.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Mr Maakorpu said the groups should move beyond their cultural and traditional relationships and harness their collective agricultural strength to contribute significantly to Ghana’s food security.
He noted that Konkombas, Bassares, Bimobas, Chambas and other Gurma communities had traditionally depended heavily on agriculture, particularly the cultivation of yam and other food crops, making them important contributors to Ghana’s food supply.
Mr Maakorpu said the close cultural and linguistic relationship among the groups was evident in their ability to communicate and understand one another with little or no difficulty.
“If a Konkomba man goes to a Bassare community, he does not necessarily need an interpreter to understand what the Bassare man is saying, and the same applies when a Bassare person visits a Konkomba community,” he added.
He explained that such similarities were not only evidence of their shared heritage but also provided an opportunity for the groups to build stronger partnerships in agriculture, trade, and community development.
According to him, a visit to major yam markets across the country would demonstrate the significant contribution of Gurma communities to Ghana’s agricultural sector.
“Whenever you go to any of the major yam markets in Ghana, you will realise that a greater number of the farmers and traders come from the Gurma groups,” he said.
Mr Maakorpu urged traditional authorities, youth organisations, farmer associations, and other stakeholders within the various Gurma communities to develop a common agricultural agenda that would promote increased food production and improve the livelihoods of farmers.
He said greater collaboration could facilitate the sharing of farming knowledge, access to markets, improved agricultural technologies, and other resources needed to increase productivity.
He also called on the youth of the various communities to take a keen interest in agriculture and regard farming not merely as a traditional occupation but as a viable business and a critical component of national development.
Mr Maakorpu stressed that Ghana’s food security required a collective national effort and that communities with strong agricultural traditions had an important role to play.
He urged Konkomba, Bassare, Moba and other Gurma groups to use their shared heritage as a platform for cooperation rather than allowing differences to undermine their common interests.
“Let us come together with a common purpose and focus on agriculture. If we unite our efforts, we can produce enough food not only for ourselves but also to feed the nation,” he said.
He appealed to the Government and development partners to support farming communities in the northern and transitional parts of the country with irrigation facilities, improved seeds, extension services, storage infrastructure, and accessible agricultural financing.
Mr Maakorpu said such interventions would help farmers increase production, reduce post-harvest losses, and strengthen Ghana’s capacity to produce enough food for its growing population.
He reiterated that the agricultural strength of the Gurma communities could become a major asset to Ghana if properly coordinated and supported.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Linda Asante Agyei