The country’s northern region has seen a notable improvement in agricultural productivity, pest control, and food safety due to interventions implemented under the EWA-BELT initiative.
This was made clear when the Kundok Development Council (KDC) and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research–Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI) organised a national stakeholders’ meeting to highlight the main results of the EWA-BELT project.
The workshop, held at Nyankpala, near Tamale, brought together scientists, farmers, policymakers, and development partners to review progress made under the project and chart a path forward as it neared completion in September this year.
The EWA-BELT project is a four-year initiative to enhance food security and climate-resilient agriculture in the northern part of the country.
Project Coordinator and Deputy Director of CSIR-SARI, Dr Joseph Adjabeng Danquah, speaking during the workshop, explained that the EWA-BELT project, which commenced in 2020 and received a one-year no-cost extension due to COVID-19, focused on improving food production systems through research on neglected and underutilised species, sustainable soil and water management, and the use of environmentally friendly biopesticides.
He said the project aligned with Sustainable Development Goal (2), targeting eradicating hunger and poverty while promoting sustainable food systems.
He said: “We introduced crops such as fonio and improved sweet potato varieties, and trained farmers on preparation techniques to reduce post-harvest losses and aflatoxin contamination.”
Farmers from the project areas, including Savelugu, West Mamprusi, Talensi, and Nabdam, shared their experiences with the project, hailing it for its immense benefits.
Mr. Ahmed Musah, a farmer from Savelugu, said the project significantly improved his farming practices, emphasising that, “We learned how to plant cassava in combination with cowpea, and the new sorghum variety is performing well under our conditions. Planting on ridges has helped us manage water better during dry spells.”
Team Leader of KDC and Consultant on the project, Dr James Kombiok, expressed satisfaction with the successes chalked under the project, saying, “All planned activities were implemented. The results were presented clearly, allowing farmers and stakeholders to adopt technologies suited to their contexts.”
He highlighted innovations like soil binding and the combination of organic and inorganic fertilisers. To maintain sustainability, the workshop also provided an opportunity to express gratitude to farmers and institutional partners for their cooperation over the previous four years. It urged District Departments of Agriculture to incorporate project findings into their development initiatives.
Source: Access Agric
Image Credit: Ghana News Agency
