Bolgatanga: Stakeholders at the 'Bolgatanga Farmers' Seed Fair' have advocated the preservation and promotion of indigenous seeds as a sustainable solution to food security, biodiversity conservation, and climate-resilient agriculture in northern Ghana. The fair, held in Bolgatanga and organised by Trax Ghana in collaboration with the Beela Project, sought to preserve indigenous seeds threatened with extinction while promoting seed diversity among smallholder farmers.
According to Ghana News Agency, the event brought together smallholder farmers, officials from the Department of Agriculture, the National Commission on Culture, traditional authorities, the Forestry Commission, District Assemblies, and civil society organisations. The event also served as a platform for farmers to exchange indigenous seeds and share knowledge on traditional farming practices.
Speaking to the media, Mr Vincent Subbey, Director of Trax Ghana, said the fair aimed to improve access to quality local seeds and strengthen farmers' seed systems in the Upper East and North East Regions. He explained that Trax Ghana is a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting agroecology and biodiversity conservation to enhance food security in northern Ghana.
Ms Abena Offeh-Gyimah, Director of the Beela Project, noted that the organisation works to preserve native and local seeds through seed fairs, indigenous cooking exhibitions, and seed and knowledge exchanges across the Upper East and North East Regions. She added that more than 400 seed varieties were displayed during the 2025 fair, while 114 farmers participated in seed exchanges, with 23 donating seeds and 91 receiving them.
According to her, the exchange of indigenous seeds among farmers helped secure crop varieties across different communities and strengthened local agrobiodiversity and food systems. Ms Offeh-Gyimah further announced that the project had supported the Gundoug community in the Nabdam District to establish a Community Seed Bank, which has become a learning centre for other communities in the region.
Some beneficiary farmers who attended the fair shared testimonies about the benefits of indigenous seeds. Mrs Amobono Alice, one of the farmers, said indigenous seeds performed better on her farm compared to foreign hybrid varieties. Mr Jeo Atule, another beneficiary farmer, said indigenous crops remained deeply connected to the culture and traditions of the people of the region, highlighting their importance in protecting cultural heritage.