Selected farmers in the Sissala East Municipality have undergone a day’s training on seed crop production.
Dr Julius Yirzagla, a sectional head at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research Institute (SARI) said the main objective of the project was to build the capacity of farmers in selected communities (Sakalu and Nanchala ) to produce high-quality improved seeds at low cost.
He indicated that it would make them available and accessible to farmers at their doorsteps to enhance productivity and economic growth.
Dr Peter Quandahor, a staff of CSIR-SARI took the participants through capacity building on community, seed production techniques, good agronomic practices, pest and disease control methods and seed marketing strategies.
He advised the farmers to adopt the new technique to be self-reliant.
In the area of seed production, participants were taken through the Introduction to seed/production, Importance of seeds, Classes of seed, Qualities of good seeds, Management of seed fields.
Mr Haruna Ali of the Savana Agricultural Research Institute then took them through the Marketing and Distribution of community seeds, Site selection, Land preparation, Weed control, Fertilizer application and pest and disease control as well as harvesting, storage, and packaging.
Mr Haruna Ali mentioned that this year’s demonstration fields on seed production techniques will be carried out in communities in the Sissala East Municipality for the farmers to get hands-on information.
Other livelihood empowerment programmes will also be implemented to mitigate climate change.
By Mohammed Balu, GNA