Background: The increase usage of agrochemicals by farmers in the production of crops has become of great concern to stakeholders. It is in this thought that SEND Ghana under the NGGA project in collaboration with the Climate Smart Agriculture Youth Network (CSAYN), Ghana Team organized training on 30th September, 2017 at Modern City Hotel in Tamale. This collaboration started with radio and community level farmer group sensitizations held by the DCMCs and members of the CSAYN Ghana Team. The concept sorts to ensure farmers use agrochemicals safely devoid of harming their lives and in a manner that does not damage the environment.
Objective of Training
Train fifty six (56) District Citizen Monitoring Committees (DCMCs) and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) on the research tools to enable them effectively collect data on the policy guidelines on the use of agrochemicals. This training follows engagement of DCMCs/CSOs with citizens in a sensitization by officials of Department of Agric on the policy guidelines on use of agrochemicals. One hundred (100) farmers made of sixty (60) males and forty (40) females were sensitized in fifteen (15) districts of the northern region. This research is therefore a step to unearth the true practice and knowledge of farmers on the policy guidelines for the handling and usage of agrochemicals. The interest of CSAYN Ghana in this collaboration is to ensure that farmers do not destroy the climate and environment through their continuous use of agrochemicals. The tools to use for this exercise are; questionnaires, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions for target respondents.
Action Points and Timelines for Data Collection: Administer questionnaires to 100farmers (60males and 40females) in all fifteen (15) districts selected from all area councils in the district. Engage District Assemblies, Agric Extension Agents, Director of Agric, Plant Protection and Regulation Service officials and Environmental Protection Agencies through in-depth interview.
Engage 2 farmer groups (1males and 1females) in a focus group discussion in 5districts All these be conducted in 3weeks (latest by 22nd September, 2017) At the close of the training, all 56participants were equipped with the tools outlined above to enable they effectively collect data to unearth the true practice of farmers in the handling and use of agrochemicals. At the end, partners would be well informed to prepare interventions that would support farmers to manage and preserve the environment and climate.
