Northern Region Helps Food Security Through AGRA

by: Helena Selby

The Northern Region is the largest region in Ghana. It is sometimes considered the land bank of Ghana, since it has about 70,380 square kilometres land area. It has an estimated population of 2,300,000, with rural population of about 1,600,000.

The population density per sq km is 26, and has a land use of 700,000 hectares. The region, made up of agriculture land, has an estimated number of 324,551 (202,457 males, 122,457 females) farmers with 79% being men and the rest women

The region has a total land mass of 7 million hectares and available land for agricultural production – 4.9 million ha. (About 70% land mass). Under Crop Production it has 800,000 hectares representing 16% of the 4.9 million hectares, with part of the remaining used for rearing livestock, and the rest, approximately 2.5 million hectares, potentially available for agricultural purposes. Moreover, 10% of the Volta lake system falls in the region, and at least 210 communities benefit from the Volta Lake.

Considering the agriculture potentials the region has, it has the ability of making the country reach a state of self sufficiency in terms of food. According to the research of the Ministry of Food Agriculture (MoFA), Ghana is 30% self-sufficient in rice, and about $600 million of rice is imported into the country yearly.

With this deficiency, the country has, in term of food sufficiency, the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), in its quest to help secure food in the continent, has dedicated some of its resources to help farmers in the Northern Region, so as to help them boost their level of cultivation of their crops.

The organisation has so far invested some of its resources in crops like rice, sorghum, soya beans and maize. So far, farmers, with the help of the AGRA, have improved the quality and quantity of their crops.

Some cultivated crops in the region

During a media tour to some farms in communities benefiting from the activities of AGRA, it was observed that apart from the cultivation of rice, which is consumed by most Ghanaians, maize, which is a staple crop, has also been embraced by these farmers, who are into the cultivation of different varieties, which is almost enough to feed maize consumers in the country.

As for soya bean, it is held in high esteem, since apart from it being nutritious, has 40% protein and 20% oil, it as well gives nitrogen to the soil due to the presence of legumes in it. The nitrogen cuts down the application of chemical fertiliser by farmers.

Moreover, during the dry season, the leaves of soya bean are used to feed livestock. So far, the AGRA soya bean project has four varieties for farmers to choose from, and according to the farmers, they have seen its best impact within a very short period. The organisation, which is the main source of funding for these farmers, has enabled the multiplication of breeder seeds of the soya bean.

Visiting Some Communities Region

While visiting the community Gushegu, Ibrahim Saibu, who acted as the spokesperson for the farmers during the meeting, noted that the soil of the land was previously of bad quality, with the fertilizers applied always wearing out, however with the support of AGRA, the farmers are beginning to know the proper way of doing things, in order to get good yields.

According to him, AGRA had come out with a project which enables the soil to regain its fertility. He said the organisation gives them manure for free, and has taught them how to apply them on the crops effectively, which will prevent the rain from taking it away.

He said they had as well been taught how to plough their land and how to sow their crops in a manner which will allow sunlight to pass through effectively.

According to Saibu, for most of them, farming was for the purpose of feeding their families, but through education, they now use it as a business to gain more income.

The people of the community of Zogu Yizelgu also had the same story. However, the pathetic aspect was that almost everyone in the community lacked education, as all the youth were involved in agriculture. They it find even difficult to communicate with strangers who come to the community, since they only speak and understand the dialect they were raised and bred with.

Some of the elders told the team which visited that they used to depend on farming only as their source of food, however, since they are beginning to gain income from it, they would begin to send their wards to school.

In the community of Libi, they have more than 500 hectares of land which is mostly used for the cultivation of rice. According to Suleiman Mohammed, Assembly Member for the area, he has been into farming for almost 15 years, and has always been interrupted with problems such as fertilizer, rain and unavailability of seed.

He said they were motivated by AGRA to join their project, and were now reaping the results positively. He said the women help them in their farms by using manpower, since they don’t have combine harvesters. The chief of the community, Ziblim Wombei, noted that the community started rice farming the indigenous way, and they sometimes sell it to middle men, they were therefore happy that AGRA had stepped in to help their soil and crops improve.

Farmers selling their products

AGRA, on its verge to help farmers sell their crops, has partnered with the Savannah Farmers Marketing Company (SFMC). It is a private limited liability company which provide a transparent and independent marketing chain that will be beneficial to Northern rural households and other actors involved.

The mission of this company is to improve the incomes of small scale farmers in northern Ghana by marketing to companies in and outside Ghana. The company provides a more efficient market linkage between buyers and small scale farmers, as it purchases from farmers at “fair” market prices. They measure the quantity in standard units, and is always prompt and fair payment

Conclusion

Bit by bit, Ghana will reach the state of food sufficiency. With AGRA and the government working together, there is hope for the country freeing itself from enormous importation of foods.