Dr Samuel Essiamah, a Ghanaian Forests Research Scientist based in Germany, has advocated a reduction in the importation of some harmful agrochemicals into the country to curtail their dangerous effects on foodstuffs and vegetables.
Dr Essiamah, stressed the need for the Agriculture Ministry, and it aligns to take bold and firm decisions to safeguard the health of Ghanaian consumers.
Dr Essiamah, who addressed the media at Agona Nyakrom to throw more light on the dangers of these agrochemicals, lamented the dire consequences of their application on farms and the general environment as well.
Dr Essiamah also revealed how the deadly chemicals from weedicide and pesticide imported into the Country got into the food supply chain which had already caused health related problems to people.
He expressed concern about how the Ministry of Agriculture over the years, had allowed them to be imported into the country to the detriment of the health of Ghanaians.
He said it was imperative for Ghanaian scientists to be encouraged and motivated to develop biological weedicides suitable for the environment and agricultural purposes.
The Research Scientist further urged the Ministry of Agriculture as a matter of urgency to charge food inspectors to intensify their oversight responsibilities and educate the public about dangers posed to human health.
Dr Essiamah hinted that he was a victim where he lost his voice after eating pineapple, he bought from roadside four years ago when he visited Ghana, adding that he regained his voice after undergoing intensive treatment at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.
He stated emphatically that if care was not taken all virgin soils of the country would be contaminated and could not be used to produce healthy foodstuffs and vegetables.
The Ghanaian Research Scientist pointed out that strangely enough the foreign countries which produced the dangerous chemicals reluctantly to apply them on their farm or produce because they knew they were deadly.
He said as counter-measure against the application of deadly weedicides, a pilot project had begun at Agona Nyakrom where weeding machine slashers supplemented by cutlasses had been introduced as new farming systems.
Dr Essiamah enumerated the project activities that had been undertaken in Ghana with support from a German based NGO named ‘’School Forests for West Africa ‘’ and its implementing local NGO ‘’Youth and Environment Club.’’
He said the project was initiated in Ghana in 1994 and over 10,000 trees have been planted in about 75 schools in the Central region, adding that the school tree planting project was sustainable because the children were tasked to cater for the trees and ensure they were not cut down.
Dr Essiamah said as part of motivation every school child would get free solar lamp if he or she planted six trees and nurture them for six months to sustain the project to yield its maximum benefits to humanity.
The Research Scientist said an ongoing project, was the establishment of Environmental Training Center at Agona Nyakrom aimed at training farmers to rear snails, mushrooms and produce honey and many others to improve their economic wellbeing.
Source: accessagric
