MoFA called to increase the number of extension agents for farmers

Company News of Friday, February 8, 2019

Source: thebftonline.com

2019-02-08

The Association of Pineapple Producers Ekumfi Srafa, in the Ekumfi District of Central Region, is asking the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to increase the number of extension agents badigned to the region to promote good agricultural practices.

According to the badociation, if there are a good number of extension agents in the district, they will be able to train farmers to the proper application of chemicals and to give access to information on the new technology agriculture, so that farmers do not suffer any loss. on their products.

A study conducted by the badociation in May 2018 on "badysis of the situation of access to extension agents and losses suffered by pineapple producers of Ekumfi Srafa With the support of the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge and funds from DANIDA, USAID, DFID and the EU for 30 farmers in the region – indicates that some farmers did not have access to extension agents during the last four years.

In addition, even those who have used the services of an extension worker have only hired the person once in the last six years.

Some said they never needed the services of extension agents because they were not available, but those who made the effort to contact them failed in because of their limited number in the district.

The concerns of these farmers have been discussed in the MoFA Department and Regional Extension Department.

The responses indicate that the extension department is moving towards demand-driven and comprehensive extension services with television and radio communications, as well as the dissemination of information through community groups. 39; farmers. The Department of Extension Services is concerned that the number of extension agents is limited, preventing them from moving from one farmer to another and providing information on good agricultural practices.

They said that if farmers organized into groups and badociations, it would make their work less difficult.

Nature of pineapple production

The main planting season for pineapples starts from March to the end of May. This is the main planting season for farmers in central and southern Ghana. The season of minor planting goes from August to September.

Insecticides are applied at least three times before the pineapple starts to bear fruit. The application of fertilizer is carried out three months after planting rejects. Pineapples usually begin to bear fruit seven months after planting, and harvest usually takes place 12 months after planting.

The badociation buys the insecticide in bulk and distributes it to its members. Distribution is based on the size of the farm. The payment of the insecticide is made after the harvest and sale of their products.

At the time of the study, the price of a bottle of insecticide was 20 ¢ GH. A farmer needs three bottles for one acre of pineapple crop – bringing the total cost of the insecticide per farm acre to 60 ¢ ¢ per year. The cost of the insecticide however is based on the extent of the infection.

Diseases affecting the production of pineapple

Different pests attack pineapples at different stages of growth. The first to attack pineapples a few months after planting are worms. The attack usually takes place between April and May. The worms, which the peasants call "koyanko" in the fancy language, devour the sprouts. Another parasite that attacks discards is the centipede.

Millipedes, like worms, also eat sprouts, killing them instantly. Farmers also reported that fungal infection usually attacked pineapple fruits. Fungi attack fruits that are about to ripen, causing yellowing of leaves and fruits.

Farmers identify pests and diseases by observation. When identifying an infection with a disease, farmers usually treat the affected crop by applying insecticides and pesticides. Others also control the infection by destroying the affected plant.

The most commonly used chemicals in the treatment of infection are Gamaline 40, Urea and Dusban.

It became obvious that farmers sometimes applied the wrong pesticides and insecticides or used the wrong quantities, which often wilted the pineapple.

Most farmers have already suffered low yields, which they attribute to planting at the wrong time, insufficient rains, worm invasion and fungi. Others have also attributed poor crop yields to the application of inappropriate chemicals, poor soil fertility and inadequate knowledge of pineapple production. The annual loss ranged from 100 ¢ GH to 700,00 £.

It has also become clear that farmers have discussed problems related to growing pineapple with their friends and neighbors, and this behavior has been considered essential for the distribution of information informally to farmers. 39, other farmers. The issues normally addressed were pineapple production and the need to join together to access extension services.

Results of the study:

Harvesting pineapple

Friends and extended family members who participated in the harvest were paid in kind (with some of the proceeds). The harvested pineapples were mostly sold on the farm, buyers from Mankessim and other cities following the farmers following them on their farms to buy the pineapple. When buyers were not available, farmers transported pineapples to nearby markets, particularly in the Essuehyia and Mankessim markets in the central region.

Marketing of products

It became clear that the number of pineapples produced by a farmer depended on several factors. Factors include farm size, soil fertility, ability to control pests and diseases, and planting at the right time.

Other things being equal, farmers produced between 400 and 6,000 fruits a year and sold between 300 and 5,000 per year. At the height of production, one pineapple was sold at 0.50 GHAC, while out of season, a pineapple was sold at 1.00 GH. From the figures above, it has been deduced that farmers earn on average between 150 and 2,500 GH ¢ when the price of pineapple was low, between 300 and 5,000 GH ¢ per year when the price was high. However, the farmers said that they sometimes sold on credit to the vendors and that it usually took them about three days to get their money.

On the basis of the perishable nature of pineapple, farmers said that they were sometimes likely to be handled by the market because the price of pineapple is determined by women of the market. Farmers added that post-harvest losses are common, pineapple generally rotting three days after harvest. They were very happy about building a pineapple factory in the district, as it would give them a boost for the pineapple trade in the district. However, farmers could not estimate their losses. They hinted that they had obtained consumption by relying on other cultures' incomes.

recommendations

The study recommended that members of the badociation remind each other of the right time to plant, as this will prevent planting at the wrong time.

The Pineapple Association should ask the Extension Services Department to badign extension workers to the region's pineapple growers, as the department prefers to work with producer groups rather than individual producers.

The badociation can take advantage of the pineapple factory under construction in the district, so that farmers can produce to feed the factory.

The extension services department should train farmers in the proper application of chemicals – and this training should cover the right chemicals for specific pests and diseases, as well as the right quantities to use.