MASARA N’ ARZIKI DONATES TOWARDS N/R FARMERS DAY CELEBRATION

As part of early preparations towards the 2010 Northern Regional Farmers Day Celebration which comes off Friday December 3, a Farmer Based Organization called Masara N’ Arziki in collaboration with Wienco Ghana Limited has donated farm inputs worth GH¢ 30,000.00 to the Northern Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

The donation comprised Knapsack sprayers, several bags of fertilizer, improved variety of maize, large quantities of herbicides and pesticides for distribution to deserving awardees on the Farmers Day.

Presenting the items to MOFA at the company’s premises at Naaluro Estate in Tamale, Muange Nene Emmanuel, Executive Director of Masara N’ Arziki, said it was in line with the company’s corporate social responsibility to improve the livelihood of farmers in the region on such occasions.

He stated that plans were far advanced to roll out more of such donations to support subsistence farmers in the region to enable them shift from the paradigm of small scale to commercial farming.

This in the estimation of the Masara N’ Arziki Executive Director would create enough wealth for the farmers and also enhance the region and Ghana’s food security as part of her quest to attain the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

Mr. Muange disclosed that about 3000 farmers who cultivated variety of food crops on the average of 14,000 acres have so far benefited from the company in diverse ways and pledged extend the support to 4000 farmers in the year 2011.

He mentioned lack of warehouses as a major challenge the company has been confronted with in its operational areas in the Northern, Upper West and Brong Ahafo Regions but that plans have been far advanced to resolve the situation.

On the activities of Fulani Herdsmen, Mr. Muange hinted that the company established an advisory board made of lawyers, local chiefs, the security, immigration and radio stations who have been educating Fulani Herdsmen on the dangers associated with bush fires and their role in promoting food security in Ghana.

The Tamale Metropolitan Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Mr. Kwamena Arkorful commended Masara N’ Arziki and its partners for the donation and promised its judicious use to achieve the intended purpose.

He remarked that the donation came at a time the Farmers Day Organizing Committee in the region needed support to make the event a success.