IEA TO SET UP SEED GARDEN (PAGE 28)

THE Institute of Adult Education (IAE) of the University of Ghana is to establish a seed garden on its demonstration farm at Tsawenu near Ho to supply improved oil palm seedlings to farmers.
The aim is to stimulate interest in the cultivation of at least one cash crop in the Volta Region with the view to reducing poverty levels among farmers who have over-depended on the cultivation of food crops.
The Resident Tutor of the IAE at Tsito, Mr Matthew Atinyo, said this when he addressed farmers drawn from the Awudome Traditional Area as part of a programme to disseminate information on good crop husbandry and agronomy to them.
He said the decline in the cocoa industry in the region had deepened poverty levels among farmers and added that if farmers could apply good agronomical practices, they would make gains and live comfortably.
He, however, said access to inputs such as fertiliser and tractors was a critical determinant and suggested that district assemblies procure tractors to plough the land for farmers at subsidised rates.
That, Mr Atinyo said, would give true meaning and value to the proposed government subsidy on fertiliser and other farming inputs.
An extension officer of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), Mr Elvis Kumi, said planting space was determined by the type of vegetation and that it varied from savannah to forest lands for different crops.
He said farmers should not cultivate different crops on the same plot of land, since it could lead to low output, as well as waste.
Mr Kumi advised farmers to form groups in order to access seedlings and vital inputs, adding that they should avoid any form of discrimination against neighbours.
Another extension officer, Mr George Agbavitor, demonstrated the square and triangular modes of planting to the farmers and said they should apply practical knowledge on their farms to avoid waste of land.
He cautioned against the indiscriminate use of insecticides and noted that applying any chemical on crops without the expert advice of technical officers could be dangerous to the health of the farmers.
He also urged the farmers to seek advice on the use of seeds.