Correspondence from the Upper East Region
In the Upper East Region, engaging in dry-season farming has traditionally been an unfeasible venture due to the dry conditions, characterised by low humidity and dry winds that cause water bodies to dry up.
However, 65-year-old Joseph Abarike, a retired civil servant, has defied the odds and has been engaged in dry-season farming for the past 30 years.
Reflecting on how it all started, Abarike noted that his father, a farmer, gave him a portion of his farm to cultivate crops.
His father then used the proceeds from the sale of his farm, combined with Abarike’s, to pay for his school fees and purchase his school uniforms.
“My father used the produce from my personal farm, combined with his, to pay my school fees and buy my school uniform. I grew up as a farmer,” he said in an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb’s Sarah Bandal Dubure.
Abarike has since developed a deep passion for farming, which led him to establish a backyard garden after completing tertiary education and working as a civil servant.
Over time, he managed the garden with his wife, and it expanded. The income from the garden helped them financially support their children’s education up to the tertiary level.
Joseph Abarike has also trained his children, including graduates, to farm. He believes that farming will provide them with a means of survival should tough times arise.
“If they go to any part of the country and face difficulties, they can ask for land to start a small farm, except in cities where land is scarce,” he stated.
He practices mixed farming, using surplus farm produce to feed the animals and utilising the waste from the animals to improve the soil’s fertility.
He has successfully cultivated crops typically found in the Southern part of Ghana, such as plantain, cassava, and cocoyam.
Abarike has also been studying farm practices to equip himself with the best knowledge for reducing costs and improving productivity.
He noted one of the benefits of consuming produce from one’s own farm as the assurance of healthy meals.
“The quality of the vegetables I eat is unmatched, as I don’t use fertilizer. If you buy from the market, you don’t know what chemicals you’re consuming,” he said.
Abarike is a member of a farmer’s association that has a ready market for its produce. He explained that his farm is financially sustainable because people from the neighborhood regularly purchase his farm products, including local leafy vegetables.
The passionate farmer advocates for Senior High Schools to establish backyard gardens, which would serve both as a food source for students and a training ground for agricultural skills.
“Instead of the government looking for food to feed the students, they should set up backyard gardens,” he added.
He also believes this would expose students to farming knowledge and equip them with skills to pursue agriculture if they struggle to find formal employment after graduation.
Joseph Abarike advised the government to focus on villages to understand what farmers are doing on the ground.
“If they want to improve agriculture, they should visit the villages to learn what these young boys are already doing,” he recommended.
He further stressed the importance of identifying farmers’ challenges and addressing them accordingly, such as providing assistance with marketing their produce.
He was optimistic that farmers would give their best if they were assured of a ready market for their crops.
Abarike also advocated for individuals to explore alternative income sources before retirement and recommended agroecology as a reliable option.
“Many people run various businesses — some sell cement, others do consultancy —but the most reliable one is agroecology,” he said.
Joseph Abarike is also a consultant, and his farm serves as a learning center for final-year agriculture students. He explained that students from Bawku Senior High School visit his farm and learn how to start a garden, which they successfully implement.
Driven by his passion for farming, Abarike has begun constructing a five-bedroom block, which he intends to use as a training center for youth in agriculture. However, he faces financial challenges in completing the project and is calling on NGOs to assist with funding.
Abarike is a shining example of dedication to farming and should be supported in his mission to impart his wealth of knowledge to the youth and others.
Supporting his cause would help transform agriculture in the Upper East Region and improve the livelihoods of the people, with the potential to reduce rural-urban migration.