A herdsman with his cattle
Cattle owners in Kintampo North would soon benefit from a joint project embarked upon by the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Michael Sarkodie Baffoe and Member of Parliament (MP), Kwasi Etu-Bonde.
The project seeks to create tamed-rotational grazing parks and fodder banks in Kintampo North Municipality for the cattle farmers, as it pertains in Canada.
Messrs Baffoe and Etu-Bonde recently travelled to Alberta, Canada on the invitation of the Alberta State Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to learn some lessons on how Alberta managed cattle rearing and turned it into a profitable economic venture, and how that could be replicated in Kintampo North.
The trip was facilitated by the MP, who came in contact with Alberta Innovation and Smart Agriculture Mission in Ghana Parliament in November 2017.
“In a bid to finding lasting solutions to the perennial clashes between Nomadic Fulani herdsmen and the crop farmers, which has adverse effect on the Municipal budget and for that matter on our development, the two of us have been looking at various avenues to minimize, if not eliminate the situation entirely.
“Consistent with President Nana Addo Dankwah Akuffo Addo’s vision of tackling head-on the clashes between crop farmers and cattle farmers, we teamed up and as a result, had series of meetings in Ghana, and several correspondences with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry of Alberta, Canada that resulted in our invitation by the Alberta Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for the fact-finding and programme partnership mission in Canada,” Mr Baffoe emphasized.
The initiative has the full support of President Akufo-Addo, the Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Kwaku Asumah Kyeremeh, the chiefs, queens and people of the Municipality.
The MCE noted that the project was also in accordance with President Akufo-Addo’s ‘One District One Factory,’ project since there are plans to develop the cattle industry and increase production of milk, cheese and beef for local and international consumption.
He called on other agric-related businesses to support the cause since the project would create jobs for the youth and consequently boost the country’s economy.