Farmers of Yeleyiri in the Vieri Electoral Area of the Wa West District say the high cost of farm inputs has compelled them to engage in charcoal burning to earn a living.
They said the cost of the inputs has affected their crop yield this farming season as they could not purchase the inputs to supply their farms, hence they do not have any choice but to burn charcoal which is advocated against.
According to the residents, they cannot meet their family's needs if they do not burn charcoal to sell.
In an interview with Info Radio at the community, Madam Seozuma Saanuuri, a farmer, indicated that women farmers, especially, could not buy farm inputs and afford tractor services for their farms which resulted in low productivity.
She said the only means now available to them is to burn charcoal in order to earn some money to cater to the needs of their children and families.
Mr Francis Nieko, another farmer, said they are predominantly farmers and engaged in producing vegetables and maize crops.
He, however, said they could not afford fertilizers and other farm inputs which adversely affected the yield of their farm produce.
Mr Nieko said the Yeleyiri community is prided as a pioneer of vegetable crop production in the enclave but that the high cost of inputs did not support the cultivation of the crops in the ending farming season.
The distressed farmers appealed to the government to come to their aid by providing them with soft loans during the farming season to farm and cater for their children.