Wa:Dr. George Mahama, an agronomist at the Savannah Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI) Wa Station, has advised farmers to combine improved seed varieties with Good Agronomic Practices (GAPs) to fully realize yield potential.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr. Mahama emphasized that high-yielding varieties alone are insufficient without adherence to recommended agronomic practices. He highlighted essential practices such as selecting well-drained, fertile soil, appropriate spacing, timely weeding, pest monitoring, and integrated pest management for maximizing crop output.
The advice was given during a participatory cowpea candidate selection event organized by CSIR-SARI Wa Station. This initiative aimed to incorporate farmers' preferences in releasing improved cowpea varieties with desirable traits for easier adoption in Northern Ghana. It was part of the Cowpea Breakthrough Project, funded by the Gates Foundation through the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA).
During the exercise, farmers were tasked with selecting five preferred breeds from around 20 cowpea candidate lines, which were developed to be high-yielding, drought-tolerant, and resistant to diseases like charcoal rot and Striga, among other traits.
Dr. Mahama stressed the importance of treating farming as a business by adopting good agronomic practices to achieve expected yields. He urged farmers to follow all recommended practices throughout the production cycle to maximize their investments.
Dr. Anslem Bawayelaazaa Nyuor, a socio-economist at CSIR-SARI Wa Station, noted that farmers are increasingly viewing agriculture as a business. He highlighted the need to consider production costs and potential income from various varieties, with market-attractive traits being key factors in their selection decisions.
Frederick Vozie Domo, the Wa Municipal Director of Agriculture, observed that the event allowed farmers to assess the performance, yield potential, and maturity patterns of different cowpea lines. The eventual release of improved varieties is expected to enhance farmers' income and contribute to food and nutritional security.
Farmers participating in the exercise cited large seed size and uniformity in early maturity as influencing their choices. Amadu Salifu, the Upper West Regional Chairperson of the Peasant Farmers' Association of Ghana, expressed gratitude to CSIR-SARI and its partners for their ongoing support through the development of improved seed varieties.