John Dima: Ghana’s 2019 best farmer loses 31-acre farmland to bush fire

Mr. 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 in Tumu, Mr. Dimah said a total of 31 acres were burnt, while he was attending a funeral in Kusali.

The cause of the fire is not yet known.

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 in an initial loss of 1,147 mini bags of maize.

Further checks indicated that fire outbreaks led to the loss of farm produce resulting in a 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: GNA