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ENVIRONMENT

Be cautious in setting up bush fires, MCE warns farmers

Mr Martin Obeng, the Sunyani West Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), has called on farmers to be cautious in setting up bush fires during the dry season which is about to begin.

Date Created : 11/27/2019 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : Regina Benneh

He urged farmers to engage the services of the fire volunteers and personnel of the Ghana National Fire service (GNFS) to assist in the burning of vegetation in their communities.

Mr Obeng gave the caution when he spoke at the exhibition of farm produce and other products as part of the Green Skills for Ghana (GSG) Project Regional Trade Expo organised by the Plan Ghana International.

The exhibition was held to take stock of the success and achievements of beneficiaries in Sunyani.

The GSG Project, a three-year project being funded by the European Union and implemented by the Plan Ghana International aims at providing employment opportunities for 600 female-dominated beneficiaries between the ages of 18 and 35 through the promotion of local environmentally-sustainable green businesses.

Mr Obeng expressed regret that many farmers lost their farms and a greater part of the nation's forest reserves were also burnt annually during the dry season and this could be greatly reduced if not totally prevented to save lives and properties.

He urged the youth to embrace the project and halt the practice of applying poisonous chemicals on farm produce.

Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Sunyani MCE, urged the public, particularly those who have the space to undertake a backyard garden venture as it would inure to their benefit.

She commended Plan Ghana International for the introduction of the project because it has enhanced the knowledge and skills of farmers in the beneficiary communities.

Madam Owusu-Banahene appealed to Plan Ghana to extend the project to other communities for the benefit of more people.

Ms Rose Aawulenaa, the Project Manager, said the Project aims at ensuring environmental sustainability by putting limits on the use of natural resources to reduce the impact of climate change.

It is being implemented in 60 selected communities in the Ga south Municipality of the Greater Accra Region and Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo Region, she said.

The project has nine green skills modules which include grass cutter, rabbit and snail rearing, poultry keeping, bee keeping, mushroom cultivation, organic vegetable farming and forestation, she said.

Beneficiaries are gradually moving away from the reliance on inorganic fertilizer to the use of locally-prepared manure for vegetable farming, she said.

Ms Aawulenaa said the project has trained about 900 fire volunteers and provided them with working materials to support GNFS in their communities to control fire outbreaks during dry seasons.