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Palm tree farms to use "Malayan knife"
for harvest
Suhyen (E/R), Sept. 26, Ghanadot/GNA - Oil palm cultivators
would no longer climb the trees when harvesting the fruits
with the introduction of the "Malayan knife" at this year's
celebration of Scientific Renaissance in Africa Day at
Suhyen near Koforidua last Tuesday.
The use of the Malayan knife on large estates allows the oil
palm trees to keep yielding for 25-40 years.
On farms where the Malayan knife is not used, especially on
smallholder farms, the palm trees are hardly taller than six
meters and are uprooted for palm wine as early as 12 years.
By so doing, they truncate the economic viability of the
very venture that could significantly improve their
livelihood.
Prof Dominic Fobih, Minister for Education, Science and
Sports, said in an address read on his behalf that the new
technology had the potential of encouraging small holder
farmers to expand the their farms and to keep their
plantations for longer periods just as large estates.
He appealed to the farmers to consider the benefits of
adopting the technology for improved production and for the
mitigation of occupational and environmental hazards.
Prof Fobih urged the agricultural extension officers to
double their efforts at promoting the technology and other
technologies among farmers so that they could realize their
benefits.
"If Ghana is to realize all its goals towards attaining the
much cherished middle income -status we must necessarily
improve upon the technologies that we apply for our
development".
Mr Ofosu Asamoah, Deputy Eastern Region Minister, said for
the average Ghanaian farmer to earn a respectable livelihood
from agriculture, there must be a paradigm shift to
modernize the means of production, storage and marketing of
produce.
The theme for celebrating the day was "Popularisation of
Proven Technologies for increased Productivity"-The use of
the Malayan knife for harvesting palm fruits on tall palm
trees".
The Organization of African Unity set the Day for Scientific
Renaissance in Africa in 1987.
Every member state is to observe the day on June 30th every
year to create awareness about the benefits of the
application of science and technology to economic, cultural
and social endeavours.
GNA
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