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By Fatima Anafu-Astanga
Bolgatanga, March 13, GNA- More farmers in the Talensi District of Upper East Region will this year benefit from an up-scale of grain storage technology programme under the EWA- BELT Project to reduce post-harvest losses and improve food security in communities.
Dr Issah Sugri, a Post-Harvest Specialist at CSIR -SARI at the Manga Agricultural station in the Bawku Municipality in an interview with the GNA said preparations are underway to broaden the uptake of the homestead technology of grain storage in the Talensi District to enable more farmers to get exposed to the same technology.
In 2021, about one hundred, and fifteen (115) farmers in the Nabdam District participated in the first trials from six communities including Soaliga, Nakpaliga, Kaline, Nakpal Zoya, Nakpal Selug and Nangodi using affordable and innovative methods of storage.
The farmers were taken through fabricated metal storage technologies such as airtight plastic drums, and PIC bags methods of post-harvest storage technologies which is expected to reduce food contamination and improve income generation of beneficiaries.
He reiterated that grain storage was important, however, the local way of storage at the household level was not well developed because farmers stored either on the bare floor, in kitchens or in rooms which were not effective and caused food reduction due to post-harvest losses.
The exercise is collaborating with CSIR-SARI and the Department of Agriculture, where scientists collect data on insect damage, grain moisture and post-harvest losses to assess the efficiency of the storage method shown to the farmers.
The EWA BELT project aims at developing sustainable Intensification of Agriculture in organic, agroforestry and mixed crop and livestock farming systems, where Ghana was a beneficiary.
Dr Issah said the project tended to establish community demonstrations to show best practices and minimize food losses in northern Ghana which was under the project, EU Horizon 2020 Project aimed at linking East and West Africa Farming Systems Experience in a BELT of Sustainable Intensification (SI).
Other beneficiary districts, West Mamprusi and Savelugu established community demonstrations of the technologies.
GNA
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