The ‘Cape St. Paul Wilt’ disease has affected and destroyed more than 3000 hectares of coconut trees in the Jomoro Municipality of the Western Region.
“The disease, which continues to ravage many coconut trees may kill the coconut industry in this Coastal area, deprive communities of livelihoods and increase poverty and social vices if Stakeholders fail to turn attention and address the matter with all urgency”.
Mr. Dominic Nyanzu, Municipal Agriculture Officer of the Jomoro District told the Ghana News Agency at the sidelines of the Regional Joint Review Conference on Agriculture in Takoradi.
The Review Conference was instituted by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to solicit Regional inputs into the national planning processes on improving Agriculture in the country.
The Municipal Agriculture Officer said the coconut industry was the mainstay of most people in the District and its collapse wouldn’t help in socio-economic advancement of the Municipality.
He said the government initiative on the cocoa sector; the cocoa rehabilitation programme could be replicated in the sector.
Mr. Nyanzu also called for research to bring out tolerant variety that could withstand the disease.
Master Halidu Iddrisu, a coconut farmer from Sekyere-Beposo in the Wassa East District, also confirmed a similar attack on his farm coupled with beetle attack.
He expressed his frustration,” We really want to do farming but the insects are really disturbing us…we need more extension officers to help us.”
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