Farmers in Bechiwa in the Sefwi Asawinso District of the Western Region have received training in agro-forestry, sustainable land management and income generating techniques at a two-day workshop.

The training programme, organised by Trees for the Future, a US Non-Government Organization (NGO) and Kumasi Institute of Tropical Agriculture (KITA), covered seed treatment, nursery management and transplanting skills.

The farmers also benefitted from agro-forestry technologies such as alley cropping, bee-keeping, snail farming and improved farming practices as well as alternative livelihood training.

Mr George Akomeah Ansah, Technical Training Officer for Trees for the Future and KITA, said it was important to integrate nitrogen-fixing trees on their farms and undertake tree planting to improve their livelihood as well as the environment.

Mr Ansah supplied the farmers with seeds of tree species such as leuceana, cassia semea, gliricidia, calliandra and moringa to plant on their farms to improve soil fertility.

Mr Lovan Owusu-Takyi, Country Programme Coordinator for Tree for the Future, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview that his NGO was committed to improving the livelihood of farmers through sustainable land management and agro-forestry farming techniques. He appealed to farmers to desist from unsustainable farming practices like shifting cultivation, slash and burning.

Nana Kwabena Adu, Chief of Bechiwa, expressed his appreciation to Trees for the Future and KITA for their collaborative efforts in helping to improve the environment and the livelihood of the people.

Source: GNA

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