The Upper East Regional Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Emmanuel Y. Wandaat, has attributed the increasing use of agrochemicals in the region to the effects of climate change, saying farmers are applying more fertilizers and herbicides but achieving poor results.

Speaking during a courtesy call by the Minister of State in Charge of Climate Change and Sustainability, Alhaji Baba Seidu Issifu, on the Upper East Regional Minister, Hon. Akamugri Donatus Atanga, Dr. Wandaat said the Upper East is among the regions with high agrochemicals consumption.

“Farmers use more fertilizer dosage in order to get results and in doing that, they end up polluting the environment. If you look at the statistics in terms of Agro-chemical consumption, the Upper East Region is one of the regions that consume high Agro-chemicals.”

He explained that rising temperatures and inadequate soil moisture are reducing the effectiveness of fertilizers and herbicides, forcing farmers to apply more chemicals.

“When fertilizer is being applied, they don’t get enough moisture to work effectively.”

He further noted that pre-emergence herbicides require sufficient moisture and time in the soil to perform effectively, but extreme sunshine is shortening their effectiveness.

“Because of the severity of the sunshine, the chemicals are not able to work effectively… they are biodegradable. Once they are biodegradable, we are not able to get good results.”

According to Dr. Wandaat, the situation is not only contributing to environmental pollution but is also increasing the financial burden on farmers.

“Farmers, apart from polluting the environment, there is also fatigue in their pocket because they buy more, they get less results and they have to go and buy again.”

He concluded that climate change continues to pose a major threat to agriculture in the region.

“Climate change has a serious impact when it comes to the Upper East Region.”

The Minister of State in Charge of Climate Change and Sustainability, Alhaji Baba Seidu Issifu, said his outfit is a new institution under the presidency that is dedicated to handle climate change, environment and food security in the country and for that matter, there is need to tour the regions to gather inputs and ideas from the MMDCs on how to tackle issues of environment and climate change.

The Upper East Regional Minister Donatus Akamugri Atanga led the Minister of State in Charge of Climate Change and Sustainability, Alhaji Baba Seidu Issifu and his team to Nyogbari in the Nabdam District to inspect the rehabilitation of 16 Hectors of degraded communal land using cashew trees including 20,000 seedling nursery at Nyogbari community.

The cashew project is aimed at improving food security, export, women empowerment and employment as well as reducing social vices among the youth.

Currently, the project which started three years ago under the Ghana productive safety net project 2 (PSNP2) has recruited about 60 people and women are the majority.

The Minister of State in Charge of Climate Change and Sustainability, Alhaji Baba Seidu Issifu has commended GPSNP2 for this project and it's sustainability to climate change and urged the workers to see the project as their own and protect it until the cashew trees mature to fruits.

As part of the visit, a sub-National stakeholder engagement on climate change and sustainability was organized for Municipal and District Coordinating Directors, Municipal and District Planners as well as key assembly staff across the Upper East Region Region.

Source: 3news