Mr. Morris Sinkari, Wa Municipal Director of Food
and Agriculture, on Wednesday urged government to expand its Expanded Crop Production Programme for the area, to cover more crops like soya beans, rice
and dorado or "kapala", a new variety of sorghum.
He said this would help increase food production, alleviate poverty and minimize migration of the youth from farming communities in the Northern part of Ghana to the Southern parts in search of jobs.
Mr. Sinkari was briefing members of WA Municipal Assembly on block farming initiative and other government interventions in the agricultural
sector in the Municipality at its second ordinary meeting at Wa on Wednesday.
He said under the Programme, a total of 94.4 hectares of block farms were cultivated in Busa, Kampaha, Kpongu, Dandafuro, Charia, Bamahu and
Sombo in the Municipality.
Mr. Sinkari hoped that this would help increase food production adding that there were consistent rains and prices of fertilizer subsidized this year.
Mr Sinkari said a total of 12,200 coupons for fertilizer were distributed to farmers as at August 31, this year.
He said last month, there was demand for fertilizer even when the farming season was getting to a close and another 2,000 coupons for compound
fertilizer and sulphate of ammonia were being distribution.
The Ministry introduced the Programme aimed at boosting food security, creating jobs for the youth and increasing the income of farmers, this year.