Ghanaian farmers are unable to harvest 60 percent of their crops every year due to malaria, the Technical Adviser to the Private Sector Malaria Prevention (PSMP) programme, Tetteh Ogun has said.
According to him, studies have shown that malaria-afflicted farmers can lose up to 22 days of work through the illness.
He said in 2016, it was realised that the cost of malaria to agribusinesses in Ghana amounted to GHS2,757,434.00.
Speaking to Class News on the sidelines of a workshop for agricultural stakeholders in Koforidua, Mr Ogun said farmers who are stricken down by malaria record low productivity, which eventually affects Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
He added that agribusinesses are greatly affected by malaria as they spend more resources in fighting the disease, and, therefore, called on them and the private sector to invest more in malaria prevention programmes to increase productivity.
The workshop sought to engage the agricultural sector, including the media, on finding solutions to the problem.