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Sissala West Assembly to auction cows for destroying farm

By Kweku Antwi Jnr
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Sissala West District Assembly in the Upper West Region is to sell stray cow or take GHS700 per a destroyed cashew plant.

The Sissala West District assembly of the Upper West Region as part of sections to protect cashew plantations is ready to sell any cow  found grazing a cashew plant or the owner will be made to pay a fine of 700 cedis to the farmer in place of each plant destroyed.

The by-laws have been drafted to protect government's Planting for Investment and Rural Development flagship programme against Fulani menace.

The by-law is expected to be announced at the assembly's general meeting on August 9, 2018.

Climate change is now a global issue governments  all over the world are battling with.

Rainfall has become so erratic that,  post harvest lose keeps increasing despite low agricultural production.

Government as parts of its  Planting for Investment and Rural Development flagship programme through the Sissala West District Assembly has distributed free cashew plants to some 139 farmers across the District.

The move is to encourage farmers to go into large scale cashew production in order to meet the demand for cashew and fight climate change.

The Assembly nursed about 31,800 cashew seedlings to be distributed to a targeted population of 350 farmers this year.

But could not meet the number as a result of high demand by farmers and some germination challenges.

Farmers who initially were to get between two and 3 acreages now demand for 10 acreages as they already prepared their lands awaiting the seedlings.

But the Sissala West District though is one of the leading producer of maize in the Upper West Region which also attracts herdsmen from both from the district and neighboring Burkina Faso to the to graze and drink after harvest.

This as a result cause destruction to any other plant found on the farms.

With the enthusiasm farmers are accepting the new flagship programme, the Sissala West District Assembly suspects a seeming danger looming between farmers and herdsmen.

To curb the menace, the Sissala West District Assembly is enacting a new by-laws to protect cashew plantations in the area.

According to the Sissala West District Chief Executive Officer, Bako Zakaria Mohammed, the sanctions will include selling of any cow found grazing a cashew plant or the owner will be made to pay GHS700 to the farmer in place of each plant destroyed.

He said all Assembly members who are at agric sub committee are already aware of the development but added, it will be made public at their general Assembly meeting on August 9 2018.

He however, assured farmers who may not get the seedlings this year to remain calm as it will continue the following year.

Agric Extension Agent (AEA) of the Sissala West District, Nindor Patrick said farmers have been trained on how to transplant cashew right from measurement, digging and putting the plant into the soil.

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