BRIEF PROFILE:

The Department of Agriculture is established at the Municipality as per Second Schedule of the
Local Governance Act, 2016 (Act 936).

The guiding principles for the functioning of the Agriculture Department are as follows:

Vision:
A modernized, climate responsive and sustainable agriculture and food systems.

Mission:
To facilitate the attainment of a modernized agriculture and food systems through the provision
of demand cost effective and efficient extension services that builds capacity of actors along
commodity value chains. The Department seeks to promote or disseminate gender responsive
technologies or practices that enhance productivity, build resilience and supports environmental
sustainability.

Location:

The Department is located adjacent Ghana Education Service, Berekum

Contact:

Tel: +233208386986

Email: salley7071@gmail.com

STAFF STRENGTH:

SERVICES OFFERED:

  Extension Service

• The Department facilitates and monitor the delivery of quality extension services to all actors along the value chain
• The Department facilitates the development of functional Farmer Based Organizations/Commodity Based Organizations (FBOs/CBOs) in all sectors of agriculture
• Facilitate organization and implementation of Research Extension Farmer
  Linkage Committee (RELC) planning and review sessions
• Establishment of on-farm and adaptive demonstrations and organization of Field Days to disseminate new technologies
• Dissemination and implementation of National Agricultural Policies for the Municipal Assembly

Crops Services

• Develop and disseminate technical information on crop production systems to farmers and other end users along the value chain
• Training of Farmers on emerging and new technologies along crop value chain

  Livestock/Animal Production Services

• Develop and disseminate technical information on livestock and poultry to farmers and other end users along the value chain
• Training of Farmers on emerging and new technologies along livestock and poultry value chain

Veterinary Services

• Facilitate and encourage vaccination and immunization of livestock and control of animal diseases
• Provide veterinary services such as deworming, castration, slaughtering and movement of animals into and out of the municipality
• Organize anti-rabies campaigns for pets such as dogs and cats

  Women in Agricultural Development (WIAD)

• Facilitate delivery of gender responsive extension service to actors along the value chain
• Facilitate the promotion of home management and nutrition education
• Facilitate the promotion of alternative livelihood and income generation activities among women, youth and the vulnerable in society
• Facilitate the promotion of value addition (processing, packaging labelling) and food safety

  Statistics and Market Surveys (SRID)

• Carry out market enumeration surveys on various agricultural commodities within the Municipality
• Carry out yield studies on selected crops within the Municipality

  Plant Protection and Regulatory Services (PPRS)

• Training of farmers on pests and disease identification, management and control measures
• Conduct Plant Health Clinic services in all operational areas within the Municipality
• Scout for emerging pests and diseases and report to regional and national directorates for appropriate actions
• Collaborate with the appropriate agrochemical retail shops to ensure that they comply and meet the standards set under the part II of EPA act 1994 (act 490)

  Agricultural Engineering Services

• Training of farmers/operators/owners in the efficient and effective use of Agricultural machinery and tools
• Training of farmers in soil, water and land management technologies
•  Facilitate the promotion of water use efficient production methods including small scale irrigation systems
• Training of farmers on improved post-harvest management techniques

OPERATIONAL AREAS/ZONES

CURRENT TECHNOLOGIES DISSEMINATED

• Dissemination of Climate Smart Agricultural technologies (CSA) e.g. distribution of high yielding, short maturity and drought resistant varieties for various crops especially cereals like OPV and Hybrid maize and rice.
• Promotion of Conservation Agriculture (CA) e.g. zero tillage, crop rotation and mulching
• Promotion of improved post-harvest management technologies
• Promotion of high yielding horticultural crops mainly vegetables such as tomatoes, pepper, cabbage, cucumber, carrots and okra.
• Promotion of Indigenous Microorganisms (IMO) Technology for improved piggery production
• Promotion of supplementary feeding systems for improved livestock production
• Establishment of on-farm demonstrations on improved technologies on maize, rice, soy bean and cashew
• Raising and distribution of cashew seedlings under the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) program
• Facilitate the implementation of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) and Fall Army Worm (FAW) programs
• In collaboration with the Fisheries Commission, the Department promotes Aquaculture management within the municipality 

PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED SUCCESSFULLY

1. PLANTING FOR FOOD AND JOBS CAMPAIGN (PFJ)

The Planting for Food and Jobs Campaign is a policy that has been introduced by the government to help address the declining growth of Ghana’s agricultural sector.  In Berekum, the program started with registration of farmers to participate in the program in 2017 and for the past three years, farmers benefitted from improved seed and fertilizer subsidies. A total of 11,613 farmers including 8,232 males and 3,231 females were registered with 11,328 farmers including 8,236 males and 3,092 females benefitting from the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ).

Since the inception of the program, improved seed supplied included mainly cereals and vegetables. The cereals included hybrid and open pollinated maize seed and rice seed whiles the vegetables included tomato, pepper, cabbage, cucumber, lettuce and carrot. In terms of improved seed beneficiaries, a total of 7,462 farmers comprising 5,563 males and 1,879 females benefitted.

In all, 13,870 ha of land have been under cultivation for maize, 305 ha for rice, 250 ha for tomato, 66.4 ha for pepper, 9.6 ha for cucumber, 12 ha for cabbage, lettuce and carrot. An estimated 44,384 MT of maize have been produced under the program whiles rice production yielded 2,440 MT. For fertilizer subsidy program, 59,213 bags of fertilizer including NPK, Urea, Sulphate of Ammonia (SOA) and Organic fertilizers have been received and distributed to farmers. A total of 10,338 farmers comprising 8,221 males and 2,117 females benefitted from the fertilizer subsidy program. 

1.  PLANTING FOR EXPORT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT (PERD)

The Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) program, is one of the Government flagship programs aimed at bringing development to the rural areas of the Country. In the Berekum Municipality, the program started in 2018 with the registration of farmers interested in the program. So far, a total of 3,046 farmers comprising 2,234 male farmers and 812 female farmers have been registered to benefit for the program. In 2018, the Municipal Assembly purchased cashew seedlings for distribution to farmers. The program continued in 2019 with the establishment of cashew nurseries in few communities. However, in 2020 the cashew nurseries were decentralized to almost all communities. Total seedlings raised and distributed was 168,473 which was distributed to 1,363 farmers including 1,017 male farmers and 346 female farmers. A total of 1,685 ha has been under cultivation since the program’s inception.

1. FALL ARMYWORM (FAW)

The Fall Army Worm were first observed in the Municipality in August 2016. The outbreak of the Fall Army Worm became severe in the first quarter of 2017. Sensitization and surveillance exercises were intensified. Government intervened and provided farmers with low risk pesticides. A FAW task force was established and 108 Nnoboa Spraying Gangs were formed. For the past 3 years, 2,967 ha have been infested with the pest. All the affected areas have been sprayed with government supplied pesticides and have duly recovered from the attack of the pest. There has not been any farm totally destroyed by the pest. So far, 2,559 farmers comprising 1,938 male farmers and 612 female farmers have benefited from free supply of pesticides.

1. MODERNIZING AGRICULTURE IN GHANA (MAG) PROGRAM

The Modernizing Agriculture in Ghana (MAG) Program is a five-year initiative sponsored by the Canadian government. Department of Agriculture at the Berekum East Municipal Assembly has received support from this program to implement its work plan. The Department has also received one Nissan Pick-up and 10 motorbikes to support extension delivery. The program since its inception has improved extension delivery by reaching out to 11,879 farmers including 7,563 males and 4,136 female farmers. So far, 16,793 home and farm visits have been carried.

Aside extension services, the program has supported on-farm demonstrations, field days, trainings on good agronomic practices (GAPs), aquaculture management, plant health clinic activities, prophylactic treatments for livestock, Research Extension Linkage Committee (RELC) activities and Technical Extension Delivery in Modernizing Agriculture in Ghana (TEDMAG). Other activities supported by the MAG program include support to purchase utilities, payment of T&T allowance to extension officers, maintenance of the office pick-up and construction of an Indigenous Microorganism (IMO) technology   to be training pig farmers at Senase.