Togbe Dzaga proposes anchor farming to boost youth interest

The Paramount Chief of the Klefe Traditional Area, Togbe Koku Dzaga XI, has called for strategic investment in anchor farms to rekindle the interest of young people in agriculture.

Speaking during an interview at the yam hailing ceremony of the 2025 Klefe Yam Festival, he said that while government has shown commitment to creating agricultural centres, the effort will yield greater results if it is complemented with large anchor farms that can serve both as reliable markets and as centres of practical learning for smallholder farmers.

He explained that anchor farms would allow community farmers to sell their produce at fair prices while learning modern cultivation methods that take climate change into account. “Farming today is very technical. With the way the climate is changing, traditional methods alone are no longer sufficient. If anchor farms are established, they will provide opportunities for our small-scale farmers to adopt new techniques, boost productivity, and remain competitive,” the chief said.

Togbe Dzaga also emphasised the importance of mechanisation and irrigation in modern farming. He noted that although government has frequently promised farm machinery and irrigation schemes, such initiatives are often poorly implemented. He said timely access to farm inputs remains a major challenge since seeds, fertiliser, and chemicals often reach farmers late and in poor quality, making them less effective. He further pointed out that farmland around Demete could be developed for irrigation projects to support year-round vegetable farming.

The Chairman of the Festival Planning Committee, Evans Buami, also expressed concerns over the growing impact of climate change on farming activities in the community. He noted that for the past three years, rainfall patterns have drastically changed, leaving the land dry even in September when rains are usually expected. According to him, this shift has severely affected crops, with an estimated half of the cultivated fields being lost due to the weather conditions.

Mr. Buami stressed that the situation is threatening food security and called for urgent government intervention to provide irrigation facilities for farmers. He explained that depending solely on rainfall is no longer sustainable, as the uncertainty of weather patterns puts farmers at risk of losing their crops. He added that irrigation will allow farmers to cultivate vegetables, yams, and other produce all year round, which is crucial for sustaining livelihoods and boosting yields.

He further indicated that this period is normally the time for yam harvesting and minisett multiplication, but many farmers have not yet been able to harvest due to the lack of rain. This, he said, poses a major challenge to farmers and the entire community. He appealed to the government to invest heavily in irrigation infrastructure so that farmers can increase production, secure food for their families, and contribute to national food security.

Togbe also identified animal husbandry as another area requiring strategic support. He said the cost of animal feed has become unbearable for many farmers and suggested that government promote affordable substitutes such as worm farming and other protein alternatives. “If farmers can access affordable feed, we will reduce our dependence on imported protein and strengthen the livestock sector,” he added.

Beyond agriculture, Togbe Dzaga called for renewed commitment to cultural values as the community prepares to climax the 2025 Yam Festival with a grand durbar on September 27. He explained that the festival is not only about celebrating harvests but also about instilling cultural pride in the youth and mobilising resources for development. According to him, weakening family ties and the growing influence of foreign cultures have left many young people disconnected from their roots, and the festival provides an opportunity to reconnect them with the traditions of their ancestors.

He noted that, as part of the Festival, every clan in Klefe has been tasked to showcase its indigenous music and dance during the celebrations to ensure that such cultural heritage is not lost. One of the core features, the ancestral walk, retraces the migration of their forefathers from Nortsie in present-day Togo to their current settlement, reminding younger generations of their origins. “The neglect of traditional practices has created a vacuum that allows Western lifeclasss to dominate. Through the Yam Festival, we are restoring the values that shaped us,” Togbe Dzaga remarked.

Torgbe observed that while many young people have become less interested in traditional professions, they remain eager to pursue modern skills and careers. To respond to this, the community has partnered with institutions such as Ashesi University to conduct research into youth aspirations and design interventions to meet their needs. He said such efforts aim to open more doors for the youth, build confidence, and reduce vulnerability to peer pressure and social vices.

One outcome of these interventions has been the expansion of opportunities at the Klefe Technical Institute which now offers vocational options including electricals, carpentry, and other trades, supported by the introduction of internet services to the community. Togbe explained that empowering young people through skills training and education was the surest way to prepare them for a secure future.

He revealed that funds raised from past Yam Festivals have been invested in the technical institute, particularly in a five-unit dormitory block that is now at the roofing stage. This year’s festival is expected to raise additional resources for painting, plumbing, electrical fittings, and the purchase of beds to ensure the facility is ready when the new academic year begins in October. He stressed that communal labour has been critical to advancing the project, but further support from all stakeholders is required to complete the work.

Togbe added that proceeds from earlier celebrations had been used to expand and equip the community’s health clinic, which now has a laboratory, pharmacy, and safe delivery equipment. The facility has become one of the preferred maternal healthcare centres in the area, attracting residents from Ho and surrounding communities.

According to Togbe, in the past, the Yam Festival goes beyond farming and agriculture but traditionally marked the end of hunger as yam and other staple crops become ready for harvest. In modern times, however, the festival has become a unifying event through which the community addresses its pressing development needs. He stressed that in the absence of consistent government support, communities like Klefe must rely on their own initiatives to improve infrastructure and services.

Activities leading to the climax of the 2025 Yam Festival began on August 24 with three days of fasting and prayers organised by the Local Council of Churches. Since then, football matches, drumming, dancing, and other social and cultural events have been held to engage the community and sustain the festive atmosphere.

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