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By Edward Graham Sebbie
Scores of farmers at Suhuluya and adjoining communities in the West Mamprusi Municipality in the North East Region of Ghana, have begun counting their losses following flood waters submerging their farms, leaving them devastated and worried about their livelihoods.
The flood, caused by the spillage of the Bagré Dam in neighbouring Burkina Faso, due to torrential rains has swept away several acres of farms in the area.
A determined and ambitious young lady in her early twenties, Wulematu Mumuni, who has invested her all into cultivating over 15 acres of land has her dream of becoming a globally recognised farmer shattered by the occurrence. She expressed passion about agriculture and committed to working tirelessly to build a successful farm.
Speaking in an interview with VoiceAfricaonline.com, the young enthusiastic female farmer says “My entire maize farm has been destroyed plunging me into chaos and significant losses hard to recover from”. She appeals for support from the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO). “By the loss, all my hard work has been undone in an instance and I’m struggling to come to terms with the destruction, questioning my decision to pursue a career in agriculture” Wulematu Muniru pathetically states.
Some other farmers say the situation has come to worsen their already suffering conditions and seriously need help as soon as possible. The situation according to them is precarious such that, the destroyed farms are mainly the ones they depend on to feed, as well as cater for other family expenses.
The latest happening is a disturbing news for Ghana because in space of three weeks, farmers in the food basckets of the country are either complaining of gluts or destruction in various forms.
It began with Onion farmers in Kahu areas in the Eastern Region of Ghana protesting the influx of same produce from neighbouring Mali and Niger, resulting in no market for local producers. While dealing the unpleasant situation, farmers in Afram Plains in the same Eastern Region of the country also raised lack of market for their produce plunging them into debt as they are unable to offset loans contracted.
Not only that, poultry farmers in the Bono Regions also earlier raised non-patronage of their produce. They are most concern about the situation because not only are prices of eggs relatively high in other regions of Ghana, the produce is short in supply raising a serious issue of distribution.
This obviously threatens food security of the country if not handled with a sense of urgency and innovation.
