Some 600 farmers at Klenomadzi and Devego, near Dzodze in the Ketu North Municipality of the Volta Region, have lost their vast rice farms to drought.
In all, 700 acres of rice farms have dried up due to severe weather conditions in the area.
The National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), has estimated the damage at GHS 300, 000.
The area has recorded no rainfall in the past four months.
Subsequently, River Kpli, on which the rice farmers depend for growing their crop has also dried up.
The situation has now deprived the farmers of their livelihood, which is rice cultivation.
TorgbiGbordzor V11, the Chief of Klenomadzi, has told a team of NADMO officials who toured the affected farms last week Wednesday that the farmers who took loans to cultivate the rice are burdened as creditors are now knocking at their doors demanding repayment.
He said the future looks very miserable for the farmers and appealed to the government to come to their aid immediately with a rescue package to enable them repay their loans.
The Municipal NADMO Director, Mr. Wornoo, gave the assurance that the team would immediately liaise with regional and national NADMO head offices in Ho and Accra respectively to identify the appropriate relief measures for the affected farmers.
He entreated the rice farmers to henceforth insure their farms against the ravages of crop failure and also form an association to enable them to secure easier and more flexible loans in future.
Water supply from the irrigation plant to Afife does not extend to the farms in Klenomadzi and Devego, a predicament which leaves the farmers to rely exclusively on River Kpli for water to their farms.
Cassava and maize are also cultivated in the area, but not on a large scale.
