HUMAN CARE AND MAINTENANCE FOUNDATION (HUCAM) HOLDS STAKEHOLDERS MEETING AND LAUNCHES PROJECT

The human care and maintenance foundation a non-governmental organisation based in Bechem in the Tano South District of the Bron Ahafo Region has held its stakeholders meeting and lunching of a project at Techimantia in the District.

The project which has for its main objective to raise public awaress on the negative effects of wrong use of chemicals and persistent organic pollutant and build capacities of the local vegetable farmers in the use of integrated pest management and the welfare of the people in the project area had as its theme, “Awareness on the effects of the use of agrochemicals and the promotion of organic farming, sustainable and livelihood Agriculture”

In a speech to throw more light on the project, the Executive Director of (HUCAM) Miss. Evelyn Bema Dankwa said her outfit conducted a survey in the Techimantia, Derma and Subriso communities in the Tano South District and the result showed that there are high use of agrochemicals on the production of vegetables without the necessary technical supervision from officials of the ministry of Agriculture.

She said these communities cultivate vegetable like tomatoes, pepper, garden eggs and okro and the farmers use agrochemicals to fatten the growth of the vegetable. She said though in the some cases these farmers have positive motives of applying the chemicals on the land to get enough money to assist the family’s source of livelihood, they end up rather harming the environment and the water bodies around them, these she said can be prevented provided we put the proper machinery in place and prepare ourselves well to prevent such occurrences.

The Executive Director said with the collaboration from all stakeholders, three major output of the project would be achieve and mentioned them as follows. All agrochemical sellers, law enforcing agencies, school children and 200 vegetable farmers in the Tano South District are sensitized on the proper use and disposal of approved agrochemicals.

200 farmers trained in safety agrochemical application education and integrated pest management techniques

60 farmers supported in integrated pest management and production of organic vegetable for sale in major cities

She retaliated it is our collective involvement that we can acquire the right knowledge on the agrochemicals and its effect on ourselves and our land and paid growing tribute to UNDP, GEF and SGP sponsors of the project for supporting this important agenda.

In a speech read on his behalf by the Tano South District Director of Agriculture ( MOFA) Mr. Dwamena Godfred, the Tano South District Chief Executive Hon. Bukari Zakari Anaba said in order to promote good agriculture practices we have to take into consideration the value chain concept which involves the inputs dealers, farmers, distributers and finally the consumer.

He said if you take vegetable production in the Brong Ahafo Region and the country into consideration, Tano South District is among the major producers of the commodities and has won several National and Regional Awards.

Hon. Bukari Zakari Anaba said vegetables are eating either fresh or slightly cooked by adding to the main dish which means that agrochemicals should be used carefully to avoid food poising. He said currently over reliance of agrochemical in the production of our vegetable is the practice going on in our communities and looking at the ever increasing population of Ghana and farmlands becoming smaller we should all go by the theme by reducing the use of agrochemicals which eventually affect our health and said organic farming will be able to make agriculture sustainable.

The District Chief Executive said if we are able to go organic, adopt good agricultural practices, adopt good harvesting methods, grading, packaging and good form of transportation, we should be in a position to compete with vegetables being imported from Egypt, Israel, South Africa and Cote D Ivoire and commended HUCAM for initiating such a laudable project in the Tano South District