V/R: 600 Rice Farmers Have Lost Rice Farms To Drought In Ketu South

Some 600 farmers at Klenomadzi and Devego, near Dzodze in the Ketu North Municipality of the Volta Region, have lost their vast rice farms to drought. In all, 700 acres of rice farms have dried up due to the severe weather conditions in the area. The National Disaster

Management Organization NADMO has estimated the damage at GHS 300, 000. The area has recorded no rainfall in the past four months. Subsequently, River Kpli on which the rice farmers depends for growing their crop has dried up. The situation has now deprived the

farmers of their livelihood, which is rice cultivation. Meanwhile, TorgbiGbordzor V11, chief of Klenomadzi has told a team of NADMO officials who toured the affected farms last week Wednesday that the farmers who took loans to produce rice were in a serious state

of calamity as their creditors were now knocking at their doors demanding repayment. He said the future looks very miserable for the farmers and appealed to the government to come to the aid of the farmers immediately with a rescue package to enable them to

repay their loans. The Municipal NADMO Director, Mr. Wornoo, gave the assurance that the team would immediately liaise with regional and national NADMO head offices in Ho and Accra respectively to identify the appropriate relief measures for the affected farmers. He entreated the rice farmers to henceforth insure their

farms against the ravages of crop failure and also form an association to enable them to secure easier and more flexible loans in future. Water supply from the irrigation plant to Afife does not extend to the farms in Klenomadzi and Devego, a predicament which leaves the farmers to rely exclusively on River Kpli for water to their farms. Cassava and maize are also cultivated in the area but not on large scales.