Chiefs and Farmers in Brong Ahafo Region have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with policy makers in a bid to address challenges facing the agricultural sector and identify ways in which each partner’s role complements the other.

The MoU was signed at a forum organised by the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) to discuss measures to increase agricultural productivity in the region and the country as a general.

Brong Ahafo Region is touted as a breadbasket of the country and contributes a greater percentage to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).  

However, issues such as post-harvest losses, lack of access to market, poor feeder road network, difficulty in accessing credit, lack of agriculture mechanization, inadequate agriculture extension staff and lack of storage facilities have constrained farmers’ efforts.

Chairman for the occasion, Benkumhene of Techiman Traditional area, Nana Kwaw Adams, said there was an urgent need for these issues to be addressed.

The Vice President of PFAG, Nana Ameyaw Manu expressed regret that MPs do not avail themselves to listen to the concerns of farmers.

According to him, the refusal of MPs to meet with farmers and listen to their concerns was unacceptable.

Responding to the concerns, the District Director of Agriculture at Ejura Sekyere Domase promised farmers that their concerns have been noted and will be given the needed attention they deserve.

He said his district is currently enforcing laws on weighing and standardization and called on other districts to do same.

He believes this will reduce the rate at which farmers are being cheated by middle men.

The Presiding Member who represented the DCE also promised to discuss the concerns of the farmers with the assembly as part of efforts to find solutions to the concerns they raised.

The dialogue was climaxed by the signing of an MoU between the farmers and their duty bearers on common grounds of transacting business.

The meeting brought together over 150 farmer leaders from Kintampo North and South Districts, Techiman North and South Districts, Nkoranza North and South Districts, Wenchi, Ejura Sekyere Domase, Tain,  directors of agriculture, DCEs, DCD, Chiefs and other stakeholders in the agricultural sector.

The forum, which was sponsored by Star-Ghana was on the theme “agricultural governance at the district level, the role of small holder farmers” on 31 October 2014 at the Premier Palace Hotel in Techiman.