Nana Okyere-Tawiah Antwi (left) presenting one of the seedlings to a
beneficiary
Fifty farmers in the Atwima Kwanwoma District of the Ashanti Region have benefitted from the government’s flagship programme, ‘Planting for Export and Rural Development’ (PERD).
The beneficiary farmers received 4,000 hybrid coconut seedlings at a cost of GH¢35,000. They were selected from the farming communities in the district.
Presenting the seedlings, Nana Okyere-Tawiah Antwi, the Atwima Kwanwoma District Chief Executive (DCE), said the supply of the seedlings would boost and sustain agricultural business, reduce and ensure food security in the district and the country as a whole.
According to him, the beneficiaries were given requisite training on the project to enable them cultivate the seedlings well.
He said inspections were done on the farmers’ lands to ascertain whether they had space to cultivate the seedlings to ensure value for money.
He cautioned farmers not to sell the seedlings, adding that the assembly, in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) Directorate, would constantly monitor farmers against diversion of the seedlings.
The DCE indicated that coconut farming was very rewarding, and encouraged the youth in the area to take advantage of it.
“Agriculture is the backbone of Ghana’s economy, which helps accrue more revenue to enable the government to improve on the country’s infrastructure, especially, the road network and other social amenities. I encourage the youth in the district to go into farming since it could create employment avenues for them,” he said.
Nana Okyere-Tawiah Antwi, who is a farmer, encouraged any youth who wanted to go into farming to call on him for assistance.
The DCE also advised the youth to shun laziness, illicit activities and any deviant behaviour that could ruin their future and rather engage in farming activities for economic freedom.
The farmers thanked the DCE for the kind gesture and promised not to sell the seedlings but use them to boost coconut production in the district and the country as a whole.
On his part, the District Director for Agriculture, Patrick Akwasi Anim, added that demand for coconut over the years had increased, and appealed to beneficiary farmers to properly maintain their farms to improve yield and earn more income.
He appealed to farmers not to apply unrecognized chemicals that could cause the seedlings to die, saying, the assembly spent huge sums of money to procure them and that they must take good care of them for their own welfare.
FROM David Afum, Kumasi