Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Agriculture, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Dr Eli Garveh says framers must be empowered to adopt best practices to increase productivity while protecting the environment.

He said farmers’ training and capacity building should be focused on promoting sustainable environmental practices to mitigate the effects of climate change as well as value addition to increase profitability in the sector.

Dr Garveh said this at a trainer of trainers’ workshop on climate change mitigation for 35 extension officers of the Sekyere East District Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture at Effiduase in the Ashanti Region.

The workshop was to equip the extension officers with knowledge and skills to educate farmers on how to effectively respond to risks associated with climate change including disasters in their communities.

It was also to help the officers to effectively support the farmers to adopt the best agricultural practices and how to mitigate the effects of potential disasters and risks that could affect their crops and communities in general.

Dr Garveh said helping farmers to identify early warning signs of disasters was crucial to mitigating their effects on food production and incomes.

He then urged farmers to transcend from the routine of supplying raw produce to adding value to their crops to increase their income as well as propel the industrialisation agenda of the state.

On his part, the Sekyere East District Director of MOFA, Raphael Dodzi Sorkpor urged participants to practice the skills acquired to empower smallholder farmers in the District for increased productivity and environmental protection.

That would translate into higher income and improved livelihood opportunities for both the smallholder and commercial farmers, he said.