Madam Sunkari Imori, who was awarded as the Best Woman Farmer for 2023 in the Wa West District, has appealed to the government to support farmers in increasing their production.
She emphasized that the government should intervene by providing timely access to fertilizer and tractor services to the farmers.
According to Madam Sunkari, farmers are currently facing difficulties in accessing fertilizers for their crops.
Additionally, they are also experiencing delays in getting tractor services. Speaking to Info Radio during the 39th Farmer's Day celebration at Tokali, she lamented that the lack of access to fertilizer and tractor services has made it challenging for farmers.
In 2023, Madam Sunkari cultivated 10 acres of soybeans but faced challenges due to the unavailability of fertilizers, which ultimately affected the crop yield. She urged her fellow women to participate in farming to cater to their children's needs.
Meanwhile, the government has launched phase two of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) program to consolidate the gains made since the first phase was implemented from 2017 to 2022.
The second phase of PFJ is anchored on an input credit system, which will provide affordable and timely credit designed to meet farmers' needs, replacing the input subsidy under the first phase.
The program will focus on grains such as maize, rice, soybeans, and sorghum, roots and tubers such as yam, vegetables, and poultry such as broiler production and processing.
It is designed to be market-driven, private sector-focused, and promote inclusivity by driving value chains.