Dandafuri residents cry for Irrigation systems, credit facilities

Residents of Dandafuri commu­nity in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region have appealed to government and be­nevolent organisations to provide an irrigation system for the com­munity to support them during the dry season farming.

They have also asked for cred­it facilities to enable them pay for tractor services and buy farm inputs to boost their agricultural activities.

Speaking to The Spectator during a visit to the community, the Chief of Dandafuri, Abdul Salam Issa­haku said since agriculture was the mainstay of residents in the com­munity, the provision of facilities such as irrigation system and credit facilities would help boost their vocation and ensure that farmers gained from their labour.

Dandafuri is located about 10 kilometres away from the central business district of Wa, the region­al capital and has about 2,400 res­idents who are mainly farmers but engage in trading activities after harvesting their farm produce.

“There are no industries or fac­tories in the community. We are living in dire poverty but we do well with agriculture so the pres­ence of such resource will boost our activities and ensure that we produce enough to feed our fami­lies and also sell,” he expressed.

He said due to the limited re­sources, hiring tractors to plough a large tract of land becomes a challenge, making it difficult to cultivate enough.

A community member, Madam Alimata Fulera said that many women in the community migrated to the southern part of the coun­try to work during the dry season because there was no alternative source of livelihood.

Dandafuri like several other com­munities in the northern part of the country experiences prolonged dry season which sometimes begin in mid-October and runs to early May.

Fulera explained that if there was an irrigation system in the community, they could continue with dry season farming.

Mr Sumaila Iddris, the Unit Committee Chairman of the area insisted that an irrigation system and financial support would help the youth in the community to en­gage in commercial and dry season farming for a higher return.

The Regional Director of Agri­culture, Mr Francis Sasu Yeboah shared in their concern and ad­vised them to create farmer based groups to petition the assembly to consider them for such interven­tions.

 From Lydia Darlington, Wa