Advertisement
To
promote
the
use
of
an
ecologically
and
entirely
safe
bio-pesticide
for
effective
pest
control
and
long-term
agricultural
sustainability,
the
“Tibourataa”
Women
Group,
with
support
from
the
Upper
West
Regional
Agricultural
Department
and
Market-Oriented
Agriculture
Programme
in
North
Western
Ghana
(MOAP-NW),
has
produced
the
region’s
first
bio-pesticides
made
from
neem
seeds.
Known
as
Neem
Crop
Protector,
these
bio-pesticides
are
manufactured
in
the
Wa
Municipality
of
the
Upper
West
Region
at
the
Neem
Seed
Processing
Factory,
certified
by
the
Environmental
Protection
Agency
(EPA).
The
major
products
being
produced
are;
Neem
Seed
Oil,
Neem
Cake
Powder,
and
Neem
Mulch.
With
the
facility
operating
a
processing
machine
with
an
installed
neem
oil
expelling
capacity
of
60
litres
per
day,
production
of
Neem
Oil
right
from
its
start-up
in
October
2021,
increased
from
7,000
litres
by
31st
March
2023
to
20,000
litres
by
the
end
of
May
this
year.
Similarly,
the
production
of
Neem
Cake
Powder
and
Neem
Seed
Husk
has
risen
from
16.4
metric
tons
(5
MT
of
neem
powder
and
11.4
MT
of
neem
seed
husk)
to
56.4
metric
tons
in
2024
(17
MT
of
neem
powder
and
39.4
MT
of
neem
seed
husk).
The
factory
has
created
additional
livelihoods
and
income
for
almost
600
smallholder
women
farmers
through
the
collection
and
sale
of
raw
materials
(neem
seeds)
for
processing.
Over
the
past
year,
from
March,
2023
to
the
end
of
February,
2024,
the
Tibourataa
group
sourced
neem
seeds
from
580
smallholder
women
farmers,
by
buying
around
60
metric
tons,
annually
valued
at
over
GHC120,000.
Beneficiary
farmers
who
spoke
to
TV3
expressed
their
delight
over
the
innovated
product
which
they
indicated
was
contributing
to
improving
their
farm
yields
thereby
having
a
positive
impact
on
their
families.
Abdulai
Ayishetu,
a
rural
woman
farmer
from
Samua
community
is
one
of
such
farmers.
She
said
because
the
bio-pesticides
are
organically
made,
the
products
are
harmless
to
the
farmer.
Ayishetu
Adding
that,
they
also
acknowledge
the
cost
effectiveness
of
the
new
bio-pesticides
as
compared
to
others
on
the
open
market.
This
was
made
known
during
an
engagement
with
the
farmers
at
Suke,
a
farming
Community
in
the
Lambussie
District
of
the
Upper
West
Region
as
part
of
effort
to
guage
the
success
of
the
product
from
them
in
what
is
known
as
Neem
Efficacy
Trial.
This
was
to
ensure
farmers
adopt
and
use
the
products
according
to
the
prescribed
procedure.
The
processed
neem
seed
products
(neem
seed
oil
and
cake)
usage
was
demonstrated
to
farmers
for
increased
productivity.
Also,
through
the
Market
Oriented
Agriculture
Programme
(MOAP-NW)
Annual
Inputs
Fora,
over
15,000
farmers
have
access
to
Agro-inputs
and
professional
agricultural
advice
to
ensure
quality
production
and
enhance
food
security.
In
most
rural
areas
in
the
North
Western
part
of
Ghana,
farming
is
considered
a
major
source
of
income
and
livelihood.
Access
to
agricultural
inputs
and
to
access
advisory
services
from
agricultural
experts
and
trained
Agro-Inputs
dealers
are
highly
recommended
to
farmers,
for
an
increase
in
quality
production
to
boost
income.
As
inputs
have
become
more
expensive,
affecting
farmers’
income
and
productivity,
so
too
has
advice
on
the
correct
and
efficient
use
of
inputs
become
even
more
important.
To
curb
this
challenge,
advisory
services
and
Agro-inputs
are
brought
to
the
doorsteps
of
farmers
to
complement
every
budget.
Story
By
Ibrahim
A.
Wangara||3news.com||Ghana
||