Peasant Farmers Call For Enforcement Of Anti-Bushfire Law

Rainfall figures in the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone of Ghana in recent years have taken a nosedive, sparking anxiety among residents particularly smallholder or peasant farmers in that part of the country.

For instance, the average rainfall figures between 2004 and 2010 according to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture had been 1243.24, 1066.79, 822.50, 672.61, 829.89, 865.44 and 364.85 millimetres, respectively.

Amongst the contributory factors attributed to this development, bushfires tops the chart as being one of the leading sources of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission aside the excessive use of fossil fuels in auto mobiles, industrial machines, among others which are all a threat to the ozone layer.

The aforementioned activities, also affect the natural environment (ecosystems), agriculture, human health, forests and game reserves, water sources, among others due to the negative role CO2 play in changing weather patterns or climatic conditions. The worse outcomes of these effects include torrential rainfall (severe devastating floods), drought, outbreak of epidemics, high temperatures, influx of pest and rising sea levels.

A recent survey conducted by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) on climate change effects showed that weather temperatures in Ghana could rise by one degree celsius and rainfall and runoff water could also sharply reduce thus affecting the yields of cereals and other food crops. This, certainly, would not augur well for over 60 percent of residents of the three regions of the North – Upper West, Upper East and Northern Regions, who depended mainly on subsistence agriculture and of course, were the major producers of a bulk of the country’s required cereals.

Annual devastating bushfires in Northern Ghana usually begins in the month of November and intensifies in December to February. The practice usually result in the destruction of not only vegetation cover, but also both harvested and non harvested farm produce, thereby causing food insecurity among the already impoverished Northern rural communities.

In view of this, the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) in collaboration with the Business Sector Advocacy Fund organized a stakeholders’ workshop in Tamale to find lasting ways of dealing with perennial bushfires which is the number one enemy to farmers in the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone.

The President of PFAG Adam Mohammed Nashiru in an address noted that, throughout the country bushfires had exacted a heavy toll of loss and unquantifiable suffering on farmers as per their engagement in crop and livestock production, stressing that the effects had equally had an adverse impact on the natural environment.

He acknowledged that there were several factors that caused bushfires citing for instance hunters, cigarette smokers, herdsmen, charcoal producers and among others; however, some of them he stressed, if not properly checked could cause serious damage to agriculture or the environment. Adding, he also emphasised that although bushfires occurred in both the forest and savannah areas, they were not as frequent and extensive as in the savannah zone.

According to Mr. Nashiru, the difficulties of eliminating bushfires completely means that there was the need for a clear understanding of the causes and effects of bushfires so that bushfire policies or laws could address the undesirable effects on arable agriculture, soil conservation, livestock and wildlife.

He posited that although bushfires had played some role in agricultural production and in accelerating environmental degradation especially in the fragile savannah ecosystems, this issue was largely ignored in decisions affecting the environment compared to tropical deforestation and desertification that had received considerable attention in environmental discussions.

He explained that, like many hazardous phenomena that occurred occasionally, bushfires that appeared as headlines in mass media reports during the dry season seemed to be forgotten when the risk disappears with the onset of rains. Consequently, he observed that, there was very little in the form of published data and information concerning the frequency, intensity, duration and effects of bushfires on the environment and human welfare in the country.

However, Mr. Nashiru stated that the indiscriminate burning of bushes as a result of the lack of enforcement of the anti-bushfire laws by Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies did not only destroy the ecology, but also regrettably, destroyed acres of farm crops and deprived livestock from grazing during the dry season.

Thus, at the end of the workshop, participants agreed that there was the need for MMDAs to implement PNDC Law 229 on Control and Prevention of Bushfires Act, 1990 which stipulates that, there shall be established within the area of authority of a District Assembly within three months of coming into force of the Act, a bushfire control sub-committee of the Executive Committee of the Assembly.

They also thought the anti-bushfire mandate of the Ghana National Fire Service and their Community Fire Volunteers should be emphasised.

Again, participants were emphatic that planners and decision-makers must pay more attention to preventive measures rather than curative measures. Penalties for abusing fire prevention and control laws, they said, ought to be harsh to serve as a deterrent to others.

PFAG is made up of peasant farmers across the length and breadth of Northern Ghana. It was formed in 2005 and has a total membership of 6000 comprising 1500 females and 4500 males. It is headquartered in Accra and has a zonal office in Tamale catering for the Northern sector of Ghana.