Farmers are rejecting imported seeds meant for the government’s ‘Planting for Food and Jobs programme’.
According to the farmers, the imported seeds do not suit local conditions for proper cultivation.
The Minister of Agriculture Dr. Akoto Owusu Afriyie confessed, “Government has had to import seeds for the programme due to local seed producers’ inability to meet up with demands.”
On his part, the Assin South District Distributor of Agric, Jacob Sackey said “over here farmers used to plant tomatoes, a type called “Adwuba” or “Fa ade begye” but unfortunately we have not got any seed breeders to produce the seeds for them.”
However, he said “this calls for a concerted efforts in developing local capacity for seed production”.
Other farming groups said they received the seeds later in the planting season but those who had theirs earlier are in perfect condition on the fields.
