Even though food, including water, can be thought of as one of the elements making up the lowest category of the needs of man, usually referred to as physiological needs, it can be said to be the most important for human survival.
This is because it is food that gives the strength for everyone to be able to secure or obtain higher needs.
Now, any talk about food should include its production, availability, adequacy, nutrients, wholesomeness, accessibility and affordability.
Therefore, any complaints about food in respect of even one of these areas must be considered and resolved.
In the face of this, there is the need for the relevant authorities to evaluate the appeal from cowpea farmers in the Bono Region for the development and release of more improved cowpea varieties that are pest- and drought-resistant to enhance their cultivation and the livelihood of farmers. Obviously, pests and drought are enemies to crop production everywhere and so when they occur, farmers would need some special assistance otherwise they would face certain challenges that can affect all that makes food what must be, including availability, adequacy, nutrients, wholesomeness, accessibility and affordability.
It is sad to learn that cowpea farmers currently rely on heavy application of pesticides to control the pests invading their farms, a situation that increases their cost of production and yet gives low yields.
Undoubtedly, the situation would affect their farm incomes as they can even run at a loss.
Though, the spotlight is on cowpea and its farmers today, it is not in doubt that other crop farmers elsewhere in the country are facing similar challenges and additional ones peculiar to them.
Clearly, any assistance given farmers to overcome their challenges is beneficial to the whole country because the cowpea farmers themselves agree that some of the ways they use to combat their challenges are not harmful to them only but also the environment and, for that matter, the whole country.
They particularly point out the application of pesticide as an example and the available literature confirms this.
It is said, for instance, that pesticides are often considered a quick, easy, and inexpensive solution for controlling weeds and insect pests, but they contaminate almost every part of the environment. Pesticide residues are found in soil and air and contamination poses significant risks to the environment and non-target organisms ranging from beneficial soil microorganisms, to insects, plants, fish, and birds.
Everything is now clear that if crop production in the country can go on well without harming the environment, then there is the need to have a better way of combating agricultural challenges that can cause such harm.
Fortunately, the country has the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to readily help in that respect because it is already in the business of doing that.
The Ghanaian Times therefore appeals to the government to assist the CSIR in every way possible to prosecute its mandate of researching into agricultural challenges in the bid to find solutions to them.
That way, it can enormously contribute to the country achieving food security to meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 2, whose target is that by 2030, countries, especially the poor ones, should end hunger and ensure access by all their people to safe, nutritious and sufficient food all year round