The Kwahu DCE, accompanied by the Eastern Regional Minister and their host in South Africa
Isaac Agyepong, District Chief Executive (DCE) for Kwahu East, recently embarked on a six-day visit to South Africa to market investment opportunities in his district.
Mr Agyepong, who also presented the district’s investment plan to the investors, also interacted with Cape Town’s Minister of Economic Opportunities.
According to him, some of the investors expressed a strong desire to reciprocate the visit to explore the economic prospects in the district.
A tiger nut and tomato processing factories are billed to be established in the district under the government’s ‘One District, One Factory’ policy.
The DCE said the assembly would support government’s policy of creating jobs for the youth in the district.
He said most of the investors in Cape Town were into agro-processing and that partnering them would enhance agricultural productivity, as well as increase household incomes in Kwahu East District.
He also interacted with agents of Johannesburg’s Food Market.
“At the end of the day, farmers in Kwahu East District and the chance of producing on large-scale, since the assurance of ready buyers in South Africa would be guaranteed.”
The Kwahu East DCE added that samples of the produce would be delivered through the Ghana Export Promotion Council to enable the district move into the South African food market.
Challenges to production
The major constraints to producing tiger nuts in Kwahu East include high labour costs in relation to land preparation and harvesting.
Research indicates that in some countries, particularly Spain, there are regulatory authorities in the tiger nut industry to ensure quality production.
However, in Ghana, the production has been left in the hands of poor farmers and traders, as well as small-scale industrialists, without any government supervision.
Other places in Ghana noted for tiger nuts production are Bawjoase in the Central Region and Techiman in Brong Ahafo Region.
Kwahu-Aduamoah in Kwahu East District of the Eastern Region has gained prominence as the hub for tiger nuts production.
From Daniel Bampoe, Kwahu – Abetifi