Mr Abdul-Rahman Mohammed, President of PFAG, who made the call, said the fall army worm infestation of maize farms had caused a lot of damage to crops this year and measures are needed to be instituted to prevent its occurrence in subsequent years.

He was addressing a conference in Tamale organized by PFAG with support from Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) to provide government with evidence of successes and challenges of the implementation of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) and the Fertilizer subsidy Programmes.

The PFJ has helped a number of farmers to increase the number of acres of crops they cultivate but the fall army worm infestation of some of the maize fields has become a source of worry to farmers, whose fields have been affected.

Mr Abdul-Rahman also recommended that besides the research, government should institute measures such as emergency funds to help fight the fall army worm situation in subsequent years.

He also spoke about other challenges facing agriculture calling on government to ensure increased investment in the seed value chain for small holder farmers’ easy access and utilization of quality seeds for increased production.

He also called on government to initiate steps to pass the Cattle Ranching Law to help regulate activities of cattle farming in the country.Mr Abdul-Rahman also called on government to create the enabling environment to attract financial institutions to invest in agriculture by reducing interest rates for active private sector participation as well as the establishment of an Agricultural Fund as a long term solution.

He pledged PFAG’s support towards the transformation of agriculture assuring to work with government towards achieving food and nutrition security to ensure the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Mr William Boakye-Acheampong, Northern Regional Director of the Department of Agriculture, advised farmers, who complained of fall army worm infestation to report such cases to Departments of Agriculture in the districts such that chemicals would be supplied to them to fight the worms.

Mr Michael Owusu, Senior Agric Officer, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, who made a presentation on the PFJ, said the programme was on course to achieve success.