The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has urged the incoming new Patriotic Party (NPP) government to take adequate measures to address the conflicts between Fulani herdsmen and peasant farmers across the country.
The farmers in a congratulatory message to President-elect Nana Akufo-Addo said the incoming government must consult various stakeholders to formulate policies that will regulate the activities of the nomadic herdsmen.
“The conflict between “Fulani” Herdsmen and peasant farmers across many parts of the country in the past has led to loss of lives, property, farms and pollution of water bodies. We call on your government to consult widely and formulate policies that will regulate the activities of nomadic herdsmen to ensure there is peaceful co-existence between crop farmers and livestock farmers specifically the “Fulani” herdsmen.”
The farmers added that the NPP’s victory came at a time when the country required a serious political commitment to agriculture to salvage its declining growth.
“The local agriculture sector is experiencing a decline in growth partly due to inadequate investment in the sector, changes in weather as result of climate change and corresponding low incomes for producers. It is the hope of PFAG that you will address these challenges and bring agriculture to the next level and beyond as envisioned in your 2016 Manifesto.”
They said Akufo-Addo’s “one village one dam” policy especially in Northern Ghana and his quest to establish factories in every district in the country are based on available raw materials were laudable.
They added that “we are constrained to remind you that the declining number of agricultural extension officers in the country is worrying as it is affecting farmers’ access to, and use of, technology in support of agricultural modernization.”
“The promise in your manifesto to work to achieve the UN-recommended ratio of one extension officer to 500 farmers, with emphasis on recruiting female extension officers is particularly exciting news for us as it will go a long way to increase technology dissemination and uptake.”
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(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)
