Ghana needs more agriculrural extension agents - Dr Ayamdooh

Research conducted by ActionAid Ghana indicates that the farmer/agricultural extension agent ratio keeps dwindling. The ratio, which stands at one agricultural extension officer to 3,000 farmers currently, makes the extension agent inefficient.

Dr Evans Nsoh Ayamdooh, Acting Tamale Metropolitan Director of Agriculture, made this observation at the Tamale Metropolitan celebration of the "National Farmers' Day" at Kpanvo, a village near Tamale.

Dr Ayamdooh said due to this problem, the agricultural extension agents were unable to visit and properly assist farmers who needed their services.

He said inadequate motorcycles for the agents had further complicated their work making it virtually impossible to access all the communities under their operational areas.

The Acting Director noted that another challenge facing the agricultural sector was the ever-increasing cost of inputs, which had made farming not lucrative.

He further explained that the Tamale Metropolis was unfortunate to have only a few dams, which dried out during the dry season thereby limiting farming activities to only the rainy season.

A 42-year-old farmer, Mr Amadu Amadu, was adjudged the overall best farmer of the Metropolis.

He took home a bicycle, a packet of roofing sheets, two bags of fertilizers, half piece of cloth, a pair of Wellington boots and two machetes as his prize.