MOFA to support dissemination of local innovations

Koforidua, Nov 03, GNA - The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) has expressed its support for the validation, documentation and dissemination of local farmers innovations that are proved by research to be appropriate and cost-effective in enhancing agricultural production.

The ministry would be prepared to play a key role in disseminating local innovations through demonstrations by the Research Extension Liaison Committees (RELCs) in the communities.

MOFA will also encourage its sponsored university students to take up any such local farmers' innovations as their projects for validation. The assurance was given in an address read on behalf of Mr Ernest Debrah, the sector Minister, at a one-day workshop on the promotion of local innovation of farmers' experiences at Koforidua on Wednesday. It was organized jointly by the Ghana PROLINNOVA Programme (GPP) and the Ecumenical Association for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development (ECASARD) and attended by about 40 farmers from seven regions in the southern sector.

Five of them from the Volta, Western, Brong Ahafo and Central regions mounted exhibitions of their local innovations for validation, documentation and dissemination.

Mr Debrah said he had helped in addressing some of the problems facing farmers at comparatively lower cost to enable them to increase productivity and reduce post harvest lose. He commended the GPP and ECASARD for their initiative and urged more farmers to be innovative and come out with discoveries to enhance agricultural production.

The ministry, he said, would increase its intervention programmes in support of farmers and this would be in the form of irrigation facilities, improved rural infrastructure, research support and strengthening extension services delivery.

The National Co-coordinator of ECASARD, Dr King David Amoah, said Ghana, Uganda and Ethiopia were selected by international non-governmental organizations to build global learning and advocacy network on local innovation in ecologically oriented agriculture to start the implementation of the PROLINNOVA programme.

He said the programme sought to promote local innovation and participatory processes of innovation focused on recognizing the dynamics of indigenous knowledge and building the capacities of farmers to adjust to changing conditions.

Mr Akuamuah Boateng of the School of Agriculture of the University of Cape Coast, called on farmers to share their knowledge in useful innovations with their colleagues.