The Upper ManyaKrobo District Office of the Department of Agriculture in collaborating with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Crop Research Institute (CSIR- CRI) has organised a day’s capacity building workshop for sweet potato farmers at Asesewa in the Eastern Region.
The workshop was aimed at enhancing the knowledge base and skills of the farmers on the new ways of farming to increase productivity.
It was also to introduce to them some new varieties of sweet potato.
The participants, numbering about 30 were drawn from various sweet potato growing communities such as AkorkormaSisi, AkrusuSaisi, Puorkper and AkatengManya, all in the district.
Taking them through the new ridge and mound methods of cultivation, a technical officer at CRI, Joseph Awoodzi, said the two are best in recent times and must be taken seriously to increase their yields.
He said with the ridge method, it takes about 13,333 vines on an acre of land while the mound method gives about 8,666 planting points on an acre of land.
This, MrAwoodzi said, was a clear manifestation that these new methods produce more yields than the old flat method.
He reminded the farmers of the Recover -Up System in preventing diseases and pests from attacking their farms.
A Director at the CSIR, KwadwoAdofo, who introduced the variety of potato called Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) known locally as “Apomoden” to the farmers said it is quick profit yielding as it takes only three months to mature for harvesting.
He said it also contains all the nutrients and vitamins needed for healthy human growth.
The Upper ManyaKrobo District Director of the Department of Agriculture, Hilary Alagbo, entreated the participants to take what they learnt at the workshop seriously and also help to impart the knowledge acquired unto others who couldn’t make it to the workshop.
By so doing, there would always be production available to take care of the high demands for sweet potatoes.
FROM DAVID KODJO, ASESEWA
