12,504 families benefit from Agric projejct

Page 15, Dec 15, 2009
Story: Emmanuel Adu-Gyamerah

MORE than 12,504 families engaged in farming have benefited directly from programmes under the Afram Plains Agricultural Project.
The benefits include knowledge in good agricultural practices, increased output in food production, enhanced food security as well as improved environmental management through increased forest resource conservation.
The Minister of Agriculture, Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, who disclosed this in Parliament yesterday stated that the project was aimed at providing temporary employment for about 5,000 farm hands in maize, cashew, yam, cassava and fish production.
Mr Ahwoi was responding to a question posed by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Afram Plains, Mr Raphael Kofi Ahaligah, on the extent to which the Millennium Challenge Account and the Afram Plains Agriculture Project had impacted the lives of the people of Kwahu North.
“So far 726 farmer groups comprising 12,245 farmers have been formed and received a number of various training and support in promoting agriculture production in the district,” the minister stated, adding that “45 community extension volunteers had been trained and equipped to beef up extension delivery in the district”.
He indicated that six women groups, with a membership of 255, had received training in post harvest management of cassava processing and packaging of the products.
He said the construction of 20 new junior staff quarters, 12 new senior staff bungalows and the renovation and extension of the office in the district were meant to improve extension service delivery in the district.
The minister stated that under the Millennium Challenge Account Project, 428 Farmer Based Organisations out of the targeted 600 FBOs had participated in MiDA training programmes conducted by 14 Ghanaian technical and training service providers.
He said each of the 7,112 farmers trained during Phase 1 received a $230 starter pack value comprising fertiliser, improved seed, field boots, nose masks, poly-sacks and land preparation cash for the cultivation of a one acre equivalent of maize.
He said as a result of the various training and capacity building programmes they had earned some benefits. He said for instance, the Happy Farmers Association at Miaso in Kwahu South, producers of maize, had won a contract to produce about 180 tons of maize to four senior high schools in the district.
He also indicated that 13 plantain producing FBOs in the Fanteakwa District had been linked to the Akosua Amankwa Enterprise, a plantain exporter with a UK end market, adding that two FBOs began selling to the exporter this month.
The minister also told the House that there were plans to provide new districts with permanent district agricultural offices.
Responding to a question by the MP for Lambussie, Mr John Baloroo Doughr, the minister said the Lambussie District had an acting District Director of Agriculture, Mr Sylvester K. Atta, who had been in office since March last year.