National best maize farmer loses 31 acres of maize farm to bushfire

John Dimah, the 2019 National Best maize farmer has lost 31 acres of his maize farmland to fire in Tumu in the Sissala East District of the Upper West Region.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Tumu, Mr Dimah said a total of 31 acres were burnt, while he was attending a funeral in kusali, but the cause of fire was yet to be identified.

He further revealed that 21-acres were harvested, while 10 other acres were to be harvested?before the January 2020 destruction.

He estimated that he harvests about an average of 35 to 40?-kilogrammes per acre of the mini bags, thereby, resulting to an initial loss of 1,147 mini bags of maize.

Further checks by the GNA indicated that fire outbreaks led to loss of farm produce resulting in huge loss of investment by mostly maize farmers.?

According to the Ghana National Fire Service in the district, about nine bush fires were recorded between December 1 and December 25, 2019.

It therefore advised farmers to create fire belts around their farm produce to curb major loss of farm products through indiscriminate bush burning.

Source: ghananewsagency.org