Farmers at Naabogu in the Northern Region are losing investment on their farms due to the dry spell being experienced in the area. They have appealed to the government, NGOs and philanthropists to support them to sustain their livelihoods.
The farmers counted their losses in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) and decried the devastating impact of the situation on their incomes.
Mr. Mahamoud Mohammed, a maize farmer, said he was distressed over the present state of his four-acre maize farm, which had been severely affected by the nearly two-month drought.
He said the farm was his major source of income in which he invested all his finances and had expected to reap a bumper harvest and called on well-meaning citizens to come to the aid of farmers in the area, saying they needed urgent help to feed themselves and their families.
Mr. Mohammed said although he had other farms in the Kumbungu District, they had also been affected by the same situation.
Mr. Imoro Abdul-Rahman, another maize farmer, appealed to the government to help engage farmers in other income-generating activities worthy of initiative to salvage them from further financial stress, as their crops were already damaged and could not be recovered even if it rained.
Mr. Haruna Osman, a groundnut farmer, said his farm had been destroyed due to the absence of rainfall, narrating how he had also invested in it with the hope of recouping the gains to pay for his children’s fees and provide for the family.
He said, “I have nothing to do, and I have invested all my resources into this farm.”
Most farmers in the region rely on rainfall to cultivate their crops; however, the rain did not come at the expected time this year, leading to the destruction of food crops that could lead to food insecurity and hunger.
By Rosemary Wayo
GNA
