ROOT AND TUBERS IMPROVEMENT AND MARKETING PROGRAMME
Main activities carried out were:
- Establish one ha of yam secondary multiplication field involving 10 farmers (multipliers)
- Select 20 cassava secondary multiplication farmers to establish 8 ha of cassava secondary multiplication farms by 31 May 2011
- Conduct PRA involving 50 yam producers to identify a thematic area for establishment of yam FFF
- Conduct PRA involving 50 cassava producers to identify a thematic area for establishment of cassava FFF
- Implement Yam FFF involving 40 farmers (M-25 and F-15)
(iii The above activities has been achieved
Planting have been completed and activities are on-going.
(i) JICA Rice Project
(ii) Main activities carried were:
- Jica- Japanese International cooperation Agency is a project undertaken jointly by Government of Ghana and the Japanese Government to provide technical support to small scale rice farmers in the Northern and Ashanti Region.
The objective of the project is to increase the productivity and profitability of lowland small scale rice farmers. East Gonja district is one of the 3 pilot districts collaborating with JICA. Gbung and Kpalbe are the communities involved in the project.
The project selected two communities in East Gonja District namely Gbung and Kpalbe undertook community entry took place in the two communities. The total numbers of participants were;
- Kpalbe-52 (male 44 and Female 6) and Gbung-73 (male 48 and Female 25)
Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) was also conducted in both communities. The PRA looked at the social, social diagram and the action plan of their farming communities. The staff of DADU (DAO-Crops, and 2 AEAs) were involved in drafting the tentative detailed schedule of implementation of the project in order to achieve the project purpose based on the duties and responsibilities given to the project through sharing and confirming the knowledge and information on the current situations of rain-fed lowland rice cultivation and rice farmers in the target communities. The total number of farmers who participated in the survey was;
Kpalbe-30 (male 24 and female 6) and Ggung-66 (Males-54 and females-12). Kpalbe and Gbung were selected as pilot community.
- Establishment of Trials Plots
Two (2) trials plots were established in the 2010 cropping season with one plot per community. Each trial plot was about one (1) acre in size.
Two planting method were used during the trials process. Each trial plot was divided into two (2) and drilling and dibbling methods of planting were tested on each field. The same variety of seed was planted at all the trial plots (Digarg).
An average yield of 3.12MT/Ha was achieved for the drilling and dibbling methods respectively.
Land preparation, weed management, fertilizer application, harvesting etc were all done by the groups. The trial plot results are shown on the table below.
| Trial Plots Final Results | ||||||||||||||||
| Site | Variety | Area (m2) | Acre | Hectare(Ha)10,000m2 | Production(kg) | Yield(HT/Ha) | ||||||||||
| Drill | Dibble | Total | Drill | Dibble | Total | Drill | Dibble | Total | Drill | Dibble | Total | Drill | Dibble | |||
| Kpalbe | Digang | 2403.6 | 2184.7 | 4588.3 | 0.6009 | 0.5462 | 1.1471 | 0.24036 | 0.21847 | 0.45883 | 906 | 740.8 | 1646.8 | 3.77 | 3.39 | |
| Gbung | Digang | 1354.3 | 1517.6 | 2871.9 | 0.3385 | 0.3794 | 0.7179 | 0.13543 | 0.15176 | 0.28719 | 386.7 | 247.8 | 634.5 | 2.86 | 1.63 | |
Total Production in Bags Per Site
| Site | Variety | Area(Ha) | Area(acre) | Production(MT) | Production(Bags) | Yield(MT/Ha) | Yield (Bags-84kg)/Acre |
| Kpalbe | Digang | 0.43 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 19.60 | 3.6 | 17.1 |
| Gbung | Digang | 0.29 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 7.50 | 2.2 | 10.4 |
EMERGENCY RICE INITIATIVE PROJECT
The National and Regional Coordination Units are at Nyankpala, SARI.
Under the project, 459 farmers were registered comprising of 340 males and 119 females. 454 bags of 12 kg rice seeds of GR119 variety were received for distribution to beneficiary farmers. Each farmer is to cultivate 0.5 of an acre.
- Technical training of AEAs at Tamale
- Training for six contact farmers on bund construction
- Demonstration on bund construction at Kpalbe
- Two fields of the three trial plot ploughed at Kpalbe
- Filled out 60 farming survey Questionnaire at Gbung and Kpalb
Project Name: RICE SECTOR SUPPORT PROJECT
The main activities were:
- Visits to project sites at Makango and Libi by DDA and two DDOs
- Monitoring of contractors progress of work in the valleys
- Facilitate the sensitization of rice sector stakeholders by NGO
- Facilitate one day workshop Participatory Varietal Selection
- Visits to meet seed growers for RSSP in partnership with registered seed growers selected by SARI
PROGRAMME
NORTHERN RURAL GROWTH PROGRAMME (NRGP)
The NRGP is aimed at supporting farmers through MoFA by linking farmer groups to access credit from financial institutions in their areas.
YOUTH IN AGRICULTURE BLOCK FARMING PROGRAMME
The district has been tasked to cultivate 400ha of crop of rice, 40 ha of Soya and 160 ha of maize. A block farm committee was formed including the district Chief Executive Coordinating Director, the Youth Employment Coordinator, the NADMO Coordinator, the police commander, the District Director of Agriculture, the District Crop Officer and two AEAs.
In the first meeting of the committee, the various crops and acreages were allocated to groups in 15 communities which cover the whole district. So far, 22.8 ha of maize fields have been ploughed.
The East Gonja district continues to benefit from the Block Farming Programme (BFP) which was piloted in 10 districts in 2009. Main objectives of the BFP
- Offer employment opportunities for the youth
- Income generation.
- Enhanced food security.
ACHIEVED ACREAGES IN 2010 BFP AND BENEFICIARIES
| COMMODIY | ACREAGE SEEDED/ACRE(S) | № OF BENEFICIARIES | № OF COMMUNITIES | |
| MALE | FEMALE | |||
| MAIZE | 466 | 245 | 19 | 9 |
| RICE | 485 | 59 | 0 | 4 |
| SOYBEAN | 13 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
(iii) HARVESTING AND RECORVERING ACTIVITIES
COMMODITY: RICE
- Total acreage harvested so far: 227 acres
- Total acreage left un-harvested: Nil
- When harvesting is expected to be completed: NA
COMMODITY: SOYBEANS
- Total acreage harvested so far: 12 acres
- Total acreage left un-harvested: Nil
- When harvesting is expected to be completed: NA
WAY FORWARD
- Intensify monitoring by MoFA staff for 2011 Block farming.
- Procure adequate and effective combine harvesters for block farming programme.
- Target a few cooperating farmers for 2011 block farming programme.
INFORMATION ON ACHIEVEMENT 2008-2010
| Institution | Target/Objectives | Expected Output | Actual Results | Challenges/Remarks |
| MOFA/Block Farming Perogramme. | Assist 750 youth with credit in-kind through the Block Farming Programe to produce 400 acres of maize, 1,000 acres of rice and 100 acres of soybean by Dec. 2010 to enhance food security income generation and poverty reduction. | 750 Youth to be gainfully employed in the production of maize, rice and soybean covering 1,500 acres with credit support in the form of tractor services, improved seed, weedicides, fertilizers, combine harvester services. | 466 acres of maize, 485 acres of rice and 13 acres of soybean ( a total acreage of 964( have been cultivated by 362 (338males and 24 females)
beneficiaries with total credit support of GHC100,690.00) |
Shortage of rice seed, destruction of farms by natural disasters (early drought, subsequent floods) untimely supply of inputs, inadequate combine harvester services poor low recoveries inadequate number of Agric. Extension staff. |
| MOFA/Fertilizer Subsidy Programme | Monitor the activities of Fertilizer Distributors and Agents to ensure easy access to fertilizer by all farmers at Government subsidized prices to enhance increased food production, food security and poverty reduction | More farmers to be able to buy and use more fertilizers at Government subsidized price to increase their crop production and yields | 1290 bags of NPK (15-15-15), 2340 bags of NPK(23-10-5), 2176 bags of Sulphate of Ammonia, 355 bags Urea, and 300 bags of Sulfan officially sold to farmers | Late start of subsidy programme, Low capacities of fertilizer Agent to handle large stocks, occasional scarcity/shortage, subsidized price still too high for some farmers |
| MOFA/Root and Tuber Improvement and Marketing Perogramme. (RTIMP) | Sensitise 200 stakeholders in the cassava Value Chain on their complementary roles as team players and support the capacity of more stakeholders in the production, processing, marketing and utilization of cassava and its derivation .
|
200 cassava value chain actors to recognize their role as team players.
400 farmers to have improved cassava planting materials. 200 cassava processors to visit a Good Practice Centre (GPC) for experience sharing.
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162 cassava value chain actors recognize themselves as partners.
397 cassava farmers received improved planting material for multiplication and expansion. 163 Gari processors adopting good management practices after visiting a GPC.
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| MOFA/Rice Sector Suport Project | Identify potential valley for development to enhance the productivity of rice by small scale rice farmers | All potential rice growing valleys to be identified. | 19 valleys have been identified and 5 of them selected for the development of 1,500 acres of the lowlands to enhance the production of rice involving about 700 small scale farmers in 2011 | Limited number of valleys and acreages to be developed. |
| MOFA/Livestock Development Project
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Identify collaborative Livestock farmers to be supplied with sheep under the Livestock Development Projects loan-in-kind scheme by December 2010 to enhance food security and income generation | 120 selected livestock farmers to benefit from a loan-in-kind scheme of ten (10) sheep each
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800 sheep supplied to 80 beneficiary farmers so far.
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The remaining 40 selected farmers would soon receive 400 sheep
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| MOFA/CIFS Programme
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Re-enforce implementation of Community Action Plans (CAPs) in 3 communities to improve food security and general livelihood of the rural poor.
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Restocking of 200 sheep and 400 goats at Sisipe, Masaka and Grunshiezongo
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131 sheep, 51 goats supplied out of 200 and 400 respectively
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Restocking has been strategically planned to avoid a reoccurrence of high mortalities experienced in the previous attempt.
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| MOFA/Veterinary Service | Carry out livestock vaccination, treatment of sick animals and undertake inspection of saleable meat to prevent the spread of animal disease and ensure the consumption of wholesome meat by the public | Minimum incidence of livestock disease outbreak in the district | 5,801 cattle vaccinated against anthrax and CBPP 2,380 sheep vaccinated against anthrax and CBPP
1,778 goats vaccinated against anthrax and CBPP 2,447 local fowls vaccinated against New Castle Disease No incidence of disease outbreaks in livestock and poultry and no alarming incidence of livestock mortalities |
Reluctance of farmers to pay for Veterinary services.
Inadequate number of staff and motor bikes. |
| MOFA/Data collection
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Collect monthly sentinel sites data as well as weekly and monthly market prices of major Agricultural commodities to enhance food security monitoring .
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Data on seasonal food availability, food prices, rainfall pattern, prevalence of nutritional and hygiene related diseases, labour cost, human migration etc. from five sentinel sites (communities) and one market to be made available for analysis and planning.
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Analysed data from five sentinel site (communities) and one major market available for assessing food security situation as a basis for any early warning signals | Inadequate logistics and data collection equipments e.g. GPS
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Contact:
| Name | Position | Telephone | |
| Robert A. Akolgo | District Director of Agriculture (East Gonja District) | 0372095189/ 0244412846 | Robertakolgo29@yahoo.com |