Workshop on ecotourism ends

Techiman (B/A), Jan. 29, Gna -Mr. John Manu, Techiman Municipal Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, has called on farmers not to apply chemicals on their food crops, especially vegetables. Mr. Manu made the call, while closing a two-day workshop on ecotourism for 50 selected farmers and traditional rulers organised by the Forikrom Abrono Organic Farming Project (ABROFAP) and sponsored by Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grant Facility Programme (SFG) of UNDP at Techiman.

Mr. Manu noted that some chemicals were very toxic and should not be applied on vegetables and said that MOFA, in a bid to discourage farmers in chemical application had begun a series of sensitisation programme to educate farmers on the effect of chemical application on food crops so that they would resort to organic methods in order to control pests.

He indicated that in most European countries, prices of organic vegetables were higher than those on which chemicals had been applied and asked farmers to approach Agricultural Extension Staffs to offer them better methods on agriculture production.

Mr. Jonathan Obour-Wiredu, Techiman Municipal Forestry Officer, noted that in ecology no organism lives in isolation because they depend on one another.

Mr. Obour-Wiredu said the ecology was not compatible with bush fires, farming, flood, timber harvest, illegal chainsaw operation, hunting, fuel wood collection and gathering, among others. He advised farmers to help in the promotion of planting and protecting species that had been natured to enhance ecotourism development, saying that "nature should be left in their farming activities as seen in their farms."

Nana Kwaw Adams, Executive Director of ABROFAP assured participants that ABROFAP would guide the people of Forikrom towards sustainable management and development of the BOTEN cave. Jan. 29 05