The Vegetable Seeds Division of Syngenta in Ghana has reiterated its commitment to support vegetable farmers within the Ada East District of the Greater Accra Region.
Evans Agortey Sackey, Technical and Sales Representative of Syngenta Ghana, said aside providing technical support to farmers during the production process, the company would continue to provide the best quality seeds to increase their yield and boost their incomes.
He described seeds as the main input for their production, as such Syngenta Ghana, prides itself in providing high quality hybrid seeds to farmers, seeds that would help farmers overcome the impact of climate change and disease.
Sackey made these remarks in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the sideline of an evaluation exercise, in line with the Ghana Agricultural Technology Evaluation (GATE) project, funded by SNV Netherlands Development Organisation and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF).
GATE, which is being spearheaded by AATF in partnership with the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), is engaging farmers to cultivate on a trial basis improved varieties of the three essential vegetable crops — tomato, pepper and onion — in Ghana.
Under this project, the farmers are exposed to good agronomic practices and the performance of different improved varieties of tomato and to ensure that they have access to these varieties to improve yields, too.
Sackey also underscored the need for farmers to adopt best agronomic practices and as well called for a collaboration between farmers and seed companies, saying, “After selling seeds to farmers, there is a need to ensure that the right practices are done.”
He said Syngenta’s tomato and watermelon were doing well on the market.
He reiterated that from one plant “one plant is guaranteed to give you two fruits” on average.