BENEFICIARIES of the Youth-In-Agriculture module of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) have been hit by crop failure as a result of poor rainfall during the major season in the Akatsi South and North districts of the Volta Region.
The 350 young farmers under the module, who were supported by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and their respective district assemblies with GH¢42,000.00, have been grieving as they could not harvest enough to pay back the financial assistance extended to them.
While the farmers in South Tongu cultivated 200 acres of maize, those in North Tongu and Akatsi planted 83 acres and 96 acres of rice respectively.
A visit to some of the maize and rice farms in the South and North Tongu districts during which the Daily Graphic interacted with some of the farmers revealed a sorrowful sight.
Apart from the Youth-in-Agriculture farms, there were other individual maize and rice fields such as the agricultural component of the Millennium Challenge Account being managed by MiDA also having been affected by poor rains.
The farmers under this pilot project were given training in good agricultural practices in addition to special interventions to increase their yields.
Some of the affected farms under the Youth-in-Agriculture programme are in Kpotame, Sondo, Hodzadzi, Ahlihakpe, Kpodzadzi, Dabala Junction, Agbakofe, Dekpoa, Hikpo, Dordoekope, Tsavanya and Agbagorme.
Mr Steven Dzorkah, 47, leader of the Young Farmers League at Kpodzadzi in the South Tongu District, said his group began the season in May, 2010, with 16 acres of maize but not even two maxi bags were realised at the end of the season.
According to Mr Seth Adu-Wadie, South Tongu District Agriculture Officer in charge of Extension, the assembly ploughed the land while MoFA gave them the seeds, fertiliser and technical advice.
After the first application of fertiliser, Mr Adu-Wadie said, the rains ceased, leading to the withering of the crops.
Mr Gabriel Amezah, one of the rice farmers who has been cultivating rice for the past four years at Dabala Junction in the South Tongu District, said the season had left them in despair.
According to Mr Ignatius Klu Wetsu, MoFA Extension Officer in charge of Dabala Junction Area, the failed rice has dampened the spirit of the farmers who were trying to operate under one umbrella to be able to solicit for credit.
In the North Tongu District, when the youth realised that the maize was failing, they quickly introduced Chili pepper which they are harvesting now, said Mr Agbo Halloway of the South Tongu District Assembly. Mr Halloway said through this they hoped to recoup some of their losses.
The Volta Regional Director of MoFA, Mr John R. Tsrakasu, bemoaned the losses of the farmers involved in the programme, which was to open up the area and offer jobs for the youth.
To offset the cost, Mr Tsrakasu said MoFA had acquired water pumping machines which would be given to the farmers on credit basis.
The Regional Director appealed for support for the Chili project, which has been found to be doing well in the area. To make the youth able to pay back what has been invested in them, he called on the government and various district assemblies to re-invest in them during the next farming season.
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