Crop production in the Upper West Region is expected to increase by 20 per cent, while livestock production go up by 15 per cent in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region by the end of the year, following the distribution of fertilisers.
A total of 26,312 bags of NPK fertiliser and 8,950 bags of Urea fertiliser have been distributed to 12,182 farmers in the Municipality under the Fertiliser Subsidy Programme.
As a result of the intervention, Mr. Issahaku Nuhu-Putiaha, the Wa Municipal Chief Executive, announced this at the Second Ordinary Meeting of the Assembly in Wa.
He said reports from the agricultural sector indicated that the rainfall pattern for the year were favourable for crops and livestock production.
“There is sufficient water in the soil for crops growth and performance and for grass growth for livestock feeding, among other things,” he said.
“Various veterinary, animal husbandry, and crop extension services activities have also been carried out, including the vaccination against diseases, treatment of livestock against minor ailments, crop and livestock demonstration, field days, home and farm visits as well as pests and diseases surveillance,” the Municipal Chief Executive stated.
Mr. Nuhu-Putiaha said the implementation of the Government’s pro-poor policies such as the Public Sector Support, the Northern Rural Growth Project, and the Fertiliser Subsidy Programme, with a total of 15,879 livestock being vaccinated against various diseases.
He said more than 12,348 birds, 2,700 cattle, 300 sheep and goats and 531 dogs and cats had been vaccinated against the respective diseases among them.
The agricultural sector also carried out 20 demonstrations, including 14 on rice, two on maize and four on groundnuts, while seven technologies were disseminated to 60,000 farmers to help them increase their crop yield.
Mr. Nuhu-Putiaha said under the Public Sector Support Programme, about 337 hectares out of 773 hectares of developed rice valleys had been cropped with about 179 farmers, benefiting from the project this year alone.
He said under the Northern Rurual Growth Project, 60 farmer-based organisations had been animated and linked to various credit institutions to access credit for farming.
On the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP), Mr. Nuhu-Putiaha said so far 3,096 persons had benefited, with GHC222,914.00 disbursed at the end of the second quarter of the year.
A total of 85 schools in the Municipality have been benefiting from the School Feeding Programme with 33,252 pupils being fed from 106 caterers engaged to prepare nutritionally balanced meals for the children.
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