Upper East CSOs In Agric Platform Assesses Impact Of Recent Floods On Agriculture And Rural Livelihoods

The Upper East Civil Society Organisations in Agriculture Platform with a core mandate and strong commitment to advocating for agricultural-led transformation of the Upper East Region for improved food security and poverty eradication is calling on the government particularly the Ministries of Agriculture and Finance to, as a matter of urgency, come to the aid of all farmers affected by the recent floods that destroyed many farm lands and livestock.

As a region that is highly dependent on agriculture for livelihoods but already grappling with undesirable level of poverty, food insecurity and malnutrition, the recent unprecedented flooding caused by the heavy rainfall and the spillage of the Bagre dam has undoubtedly compounded the woes of the region and smallholder farmers especially persons with disability, youth and women farmers are the hardest hit.

It is quite worrying to note that the significant contributions of government’s flagship programmes such as Planting and Rearing for Food and Jobs to poverty reduction, food security, nutrition and jobs in the region have been eroded as the flood caused considerable damage to crops, livestock, small dams and post-production infrastructure in many farming communities in the region.

It is important to point out that available statistics indicate that in the year 2020, about 200,000 farmers registered for the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme in the Upper East Region and these farmers who would have produced in greater quantity to increase food productivity and food security for improved livelihoods of the people have had their farms totally submerged with huge livestock losses.

It is in the light of the above stated untold hardship and predicaments of the farmers and the region that the Upper East CSOs Platform on Agriculture is calling on the government to, as a matter of urgency,

• Establish an Emergency Flood Relief Fund (EFRF) with a seed capital of Ghc200 million to alleviate the worsening plight of affected farming communities in the region through food aid, livestock support and free supply of all agricultural inputs for dry season farming.
• Expedite action on the construction of the Pwalugu Multi-purpose dam to control and manage subsequent floods in the region for increased agricultural activities for the benefit of the people
• Introduce Crop and Livestock Insurance Scheme and make it part of the Planting and Rearing for Food and Jobs Programmes for beneficiaries to be compensated in terms of droughts and floods resulting in loss of crops and livestock.

In conclusion, we wish to state that the intensity and severity of the impact of this year’s floods on smallholder agriculture and rural livelihoods in the upper east region signals a looming famine and a serious threat to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 1 and 2, government must therefore demonstrate high level of responsiveness to the demands made here to protect and improve livelihoods of the poor and vulnerable households.

………………Signed………………………

Bismark Adongo Ayorogo

(Chairman of Advocacy Committee of UER CSOs Platform in Agric)