Farmers to get ready markets for their produce

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Mrs Caroline Tsikata,Mrs. Caroline Tsikata, Communications Specialists for MADE Programme,
Mrs Caroline Tsikata,Mrs. Caroline Tsikata, Communications Specialists for MADE Programme,
Mrs Caroline Tsikata,Mrs. Caroline Tsikata, Communications Specialists for MADE Programme,
Mrs Caroline Tsikata,Mrs. Caroline Tsikata, Communications Specialists for MADE Programme,

The Market Development Programme (MADE), a non-governmental organisation, is focusing on how to make markets to work for smallholder farmers in northern Ghana.

The NGO is implementing the programme to make the market work for farmers to move away from the initial lower production levels to higher production levels such that the farmers would make more incomes that would help reduce poverty.

The programme targets 77,000 farmers and small scale entrepreneurs out of which 15 percent are women for them to record positive change in annual real incomes and ensuring agricultural yields in projected areas and across the six selected sectors.

MADE is focusing on high rice, groundnuts, onions, chili (pepper) fruits and vegetables production as well as improvement in livestock including goats, sheep and cattle rearing.

Mrs. Caroline Tsikata, Communications Specialists for MADE Programme, made this known to journalists and media practitioners at a one day media orientation programme held in Wa on Thursday.

The forum was to build the capacity of journalists and media practitioners to enable them to adequately and effectively educate the farmers to be aware and take advantage of the programme.

Mrs. Tsikata said MADE interventions were to help enhance productivity through improved seeds and agronomic practices, producing the right varieties and targeting markets where the various products would be readily sold.

She said MADE was collaborating with the Savannah Research Institute (SARI), the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and Seed Dealers to get improved seeds for its farmers to enable them increase in both yield and quality.

Mrs. Tsikata mentioned increase in knowledge and information, extension services, irrigation, transportation and finance as some of the supporting functions for the farmers.

Mr. Edward Ameyibor, a Media Consultant, said the MADE programme, which is aimed at lifting the farmer from poverty to self sufficiency, would need a lot more media support to create awareness, motivate and to narrate its successes and challenges.

Mr. Ameyibor appealed to journalists to commit themselves fully to the success of the intervention to help the northern farmer and the northern economy.

GNA

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