The planting season in the Upper East Region has delayed and farmers who depend solely on rainfall, have been waiting, praying and wishing for the rain to set in for them to start planting.
Unfortunately, the rainfall pattern has changed and now falls in small volumes at different places at different times. The volumes cannot sustain growth of crops on the respective farms.
On Saturday morning, June 29, some districts including Garu, Tempani, Bawku and Bongo had some rainfall and farmers there are looking forward to another round so as to start planting, unfortunately, there is no sign, thereby leaving the farmers in a state of dilemma.
Speaking exclusively to A1 Radio News, some farmers in Garu explained that, this year’s rainfall pattern has caused majority of them to lose interest in farming, as the period for planting most of the indigenous crops has passed.
Baba Salifu, a father of eight children with four wives said, the climatic change this year has affected him greatly, because his plans on farming have changed and most of the crops even if planted, will not yield good produce.
“Instead of farming like 40 acres, I will focus on only 10 acres and the small space around my house.” He said.
He however encouraged his colleague farmers to change their methods of farming because they can no longer depend on rainfall for farming.
However, as farmers in communities in the districts mentioned above are preparing their lands for cultivation, farmers in the Bolgatanga Municipality are still waiting for their share of the rainfall.
Source: A1radioonline.com | Moses Apiah | Ghana