Hanging Like a Bat: Talensi District Agric Director Laments Funding Limbo and Dilapidated Infrastructure

Mr. Sulemana Mathew, the District Director of Agriculture for Talensi, has painted a stark picture of a department caught in a bureaucratic “no-man’s land.” Comparing his directorate to a bat neither fully recognized by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) nor supported by the local government, Mr. Mathew revealed that the department currently receives a 0% allocation from the District Assembly Common Fund.

Mr. Sulemana explained that the current Common Fund allocation formula leaves the Agriculture department with nothing, creating a crisis of identity and resource.
“The flying animals say you fly, but you breastfeed, so you are not part of us. The animals on the ground say you give birth, but we don’t fly, so you are not part of us. Like the bat, we are hanging in between.”
While the Director can personally make it to the office, there is no budget to facilitate field visits. Agriculture cannot be managed from an office; without field funding, the department’s core mission is effectively stalled. The physical state of the Agric Directorate in Talensi reflects years of neglect. While the Assembly recently provided furniture and water, the building itself is a relic of the past. The office has not seen a facelift or renovation since it was constructed in 2005.
Although the Assembly has reportedly included renovations in the 2016 annual work plan, he added that, the department remains in “prayer and hope” that the funds will materialize.
Transportation is perhaps the department’s most visible failure. Of the 17 motorbikes provided through the MAG project, 14 are currently grounded. The office now resembles a “warehouse” for broken bikes. Agricultural Extension Officers (AEOs) have been forced to revert to using their personal, aging motorbikes just to reach farmers, as the maintenance costs for the official “Galaxy” bikes have become unsustainable.
Despite these hurdles, Mr. Sulemana remains committed to serving the “gallant farmers of Talensi.” However, he maintains that without a dedicated percentage of the Common Fund and reliable transport, the department remains grounded—much like its fleet of broken motorbikes.