Farmers urged to ensure good post-harvest practices

Dorimon (UWR), July 27, GNA - Mr Emmanuel Wullingdool, the Policy Officer of the Ghana Trade and Livelihood Coalition (GTLC), has called on farmers to ensure proper post-harvest practices to help reduce the high incidence of post-harvest losses.

He said post-harvest losses are a significant challenge to improving the agricultural sector of the economy adding that it was a major factor that led to food insecurity in the country.

Mr Wullingdool made the call at a durbar in Dorimon in the Wa West District of the Upper West Region.

He said there is the need for farmers to ensure good farming practices to help improve food production and to reduce post-harvest losses as part of the implantation of the five year Voice for Change (V4C) Partnership project.

He said the project, which is being implemented in some selected districts in the country including the Wa West and Talensi Districts, was aimed at building the capacity of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and engaging in evidence based advocacy to help avert the high incidence of post-harvest losses and poor nutrition among smallholder farmers.

He said the lack of commitment on the part of government 'to implement national policies and investment benchmarks on the agricultural sector, limited access to improved post-harvest management technology, low extension service delivery and poor access to ready markets' as some of the factors that led to post-harvest losses.

Mr Wullingdool said about 28 per cent of all children under five years were stunted due to the loss of nutrients in food which resulted from poor storage practices.

Mr Ababaasa Olinaa, the Assembly Member for the Dorimon Electoral Area, said the inadequate number of Agriculture Extension Officers in the district, poor agronomic practices and poor road network accounted for the excessive post-harvest loses among farmers.

He said lack of storage facilities for farmers in the area has resulted in the loss of nutrients in food crops as well as vegetables and urged the government and benevolent organsations to come to their aid to help mitigate the menace.

He commended GTLC and its sponsors for taking the laudable initiative to enlighten the farmers on good farming practices and to help reduce post-harvest losses.

Traditional leaders, heads of departments Civil Society Organisations and community farmer groups attended the durbar which was organised by GTLC under the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs' funded 'Voice for Change Partnership (V4C)' project through the Netherland Development Organisation (SNV) in partnership with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

GNA

By Philip Tengzu, GNA