6,000 Farmers trained in good agricultural practices

The Central Regional Department of Food and Agriculture, in collaboration with the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) under its Market Oriented Agricultural Programme (MOAP), has trained over 6,000 farmers in good agricultural practices.

The beneficiary farmers were selected from Cape Coast, Ajumako, Assin South, Assin North, Efutu, Mfantseman, Ekumfi, Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese (AAK) and Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem (KEEA) districts in the Central Region.

They undertook training in pineapple, citrus and vegetable.

About 940 food processors and market women from Assin South, Mfantseman, Ekumfi and Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese (AAK) districts were also trained in food safety and handling.

Speaking to the Daily Graphic, the Value Chain Officer of Market Oriented Agricultural Programme (MOAP), Dr John Kwesi Assan, said the training for the farmers, which took place over a period of six months in their various districts, was to help improve the quality of fresh fruits and vegetables.

He said farmers were educated on selecting a good site for production, good planting materials, planting and intercropping, controlling weed, controlling major pests and diseases, pruning, managing soil fertility, water management and reducing post-harvest losses

Aim

Dr Annan said MOAP was aimed at improving the livelihood of farmers in its operational zone through increasing agricultural production, production quality, boosting job creation and economic growth among the people.

He said there were field visits by the MOAP team to ensure that farmers were adopting the technologies that had been taught during the training.

Monitoring field visits indicate that some farmers are adopting the technologies, especially in the area of vegetable, citrus and pineapple”, he added.