A farmer field day was recently organized at Gagberi community in the Tempane district of the Upper East Region, drawing 115 farmers to learn about innovative farming techniques for maize and soybean cultivation.
The event, spearheaded by CSIR-SARI in collaboration with MOFA, aimed to demonstrate new technologies in farming maize and soybeans at maturity.
Participants were educated on various aspects including cropping patterns, planting times, crop growth, yield, and pest and disease management for maize and soybean.
The technologies showcased involved different planting intervals and cropping patterns such as sole maize, sole soybean, maize-soybean intercropping, and maize-soybean relay cropping. Farmers were introduced to modified cropping calendars tailored to address climate change and enhance productivity.
Notably, the farmers expressed satisfaction with intercropping maize with soybean, citing impressive performance. Researchers emphasized the importance of using drought-tolerant and early-maturing varieties, coupled with good agronomic practices, to ensure high yields.
The success of the field day has prompted suggestions for the technology to be demonstrated in other communities to further increase yields, considering maize and soybean's significance in providing both food and income security.
The initiative is part of a larger collaborative effort involving institutions like North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Alcorn State University, Fort Valley State University, South Carolina State University, and Tuskegee University, alongside CSIR-SARI in Ghana.
Dr. Issah Sugri, a specialist in postharvest management at CSIR-SARI, highlighted the project's objectives, which aim to address food security and poverty through the application of ecological and climate-smart technologies.