TWMA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT IN JUNE, 2023

The month of September Experience 5 raining days.

Activities that were carried out include:

Extension Services Delivery
Home and farm visit
Agriculture Extension Agents (AEAs) assisted farmers, Farmers Based Organizations (FBOs) and other clients along the agricultural value chain by providing them with technical knowledge on new technologies as well as advisory services. The Vet Extension agents also undertook their routine immunization and vaccination of livestock to provide prophylactic treatment and encouraged their clients to practice good animal husbandry practices.

Crop Production
1. Farmers in the municipality cultivated tomato, onion, okro, maize, green, chili and bonnet peppers, lettuce, ayoyo, among others.

Onion field at Solomon City
Maize and tomato field at Solomon City Okro field at Solomon City Potato Field at Solomon City

2. There was harvesting of crops such as okro, maize, tomato, onions from the various operational areas during the period under review

Harvesting of green pepper at Solomon City Harvesting and packaging of green pepper at Solomon City Harvesting of potato at Solomon City

3. The Department of Agriculture hosted farmers for a field day showcasing the department’s container gardening at TWMA premises. The participants learned the latest techniques and gained insight on successful gardening practices to help them establish the gardens in their various homes.

Farmers inspecting the container gardening.

4. The Director of Agriculture and 2 AEAs made a farm visit to catfish farmers in the Solomon City. They toured few farms, observing the procedures, evaluating the quality of feed and water, and inspecting the fish for signs of disease. The department concluded that the farmers had an excellent understanding of their craft and were successfully cultivating healthy catfish products. One farmer is also cultivating tilapia and other fish species in addition to his catfish production.

Catfish Production in a concrete pond at Solomon City. Catfish Production in both Concrete and tarpaulin at Solomon city. Tilapia production in Concrete pond.

Monitoring and Supervision

The Municipal Director of Agric. and 2 staff went on monitoring and supervision visits to Solomon City to access the implementation of planned activities of AEAs and backstopped when it was necessary. Farmers were asked about their activities and challenges they faced during their line of activities to which technical advice was provided.

MDA and AEA interacting with Catfish farmers at Solomon City. MDA and AEA interacting with farmers at Solomon City.

Training, Sensitization and Demonstrations

RELC

department organized RELC planning session at the Assembly hall. It was attended by 53 actors along the Agricultural Value Chain to deliberate on their needs/constraints in their line of duties and find possible recommendations for them. This included farmers, processors, RELC Coordinators and staff made up of 44 males and 9 females.

RELC Meeting at TWMA Assembly Hall

Utilization of Local Foods and Value Addition for Income Generation and Nutrition Improvement

The Department of Agriculture in collaboration with the Department of Social welfare organized a food demonstration on utilization of local foods and value addition as an alternative way of generating income and improving household nutrition for 40 individuals at Cambodia Presby Church. The products demonstrated were; Pineapple ginger, Pineapple beetroot, beetroot carrot, mixed fruits juices and orange flesh potato (OFSP) balls.

Food demonstration on Fruit juices and OFSP ball.

Training on Post-harvest Management

The Department of Agriculture organized a training on sorting, grading and tomato puree making under post harvest management for 30 individuals. Participants were taught techniques of selecting and grading agricultural produce, with an aim to increase their harvests’ market value. They were also taught how to add value to tomato by making tomato puree.

Training on sorting grading and tomato puree making

• Training on Climate Smart Agriculture

The Department of Agriculture organized a sensitization on Climate Smart Agriculture at Solomon City to educate farmers on farming technologies to adapt to climate change in their farming practices. 41 participants were shown methods of increasing resilience of agricultural production to the impacts of climate change while sustaining and increasing productivity. Technologies disseminated were Composting, mulching, crop rotation, cover cropping among others.

Sensitization on Climate Smart Agriculture at Solomon City

• Visit By Greater Accra Regional Director Of Agriculture

The Regional Director of Agriculture paid a visit to the Tema West Department of Agriculture. The visit was a great success, as the Director got to meet the staff and familiarize himself with the Agricultural activities in the Municipality. He was impressed with the enthusiasm and commitment of the staff towards the development of sustainable agricultural projects in the Municipality. One as such is the containerized gardening.

Staff meeting with the Regional Director of Agriculture and TWMA Municipal Coordinating Director A tour with the Regional Director of Agric. to the department’s Container Garden
Source: Agricultural Department