Youth in agriculture harvest crops

The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Agona East, Mr John Oremus Arko, at the weekend, led farmers engaged in the Youth in Agriculture Programme to harvest their produce.

The district assembly hired 150 acres of land for people interested in the programme during the minor farming season in September.

According to Mr Arko, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) provided seeds, fertilizer and agro chemicals and also paid for the tractor services, used in tilling the land.

The DCE said the Assembly would help in marketing the harvested maize and that the cost involved in the programme would be deducted from the proceeds and the rest paid to the farmers.

He said in order to encourage people to join the Youth in Agriculture Programme, the Assembly in conjunction with MOFA, had decided to spread the expenses over a period to allow the farmers to get some money for maintaining their families.

Mr Arko urged land owners to release lands for the programme on moderate terms, instead of insisting on cash payment.

He said 2000 acres had been targeted for the main farming season in April-May and said the Assembly might not be able to get money to pay outright cash.

The DCE described the programme as laudable, which he said would ensure food security and job creation in the area and urged the youth to embrace it.

He assured the youth that the assembly would give them the necessary support to enable them get good farms yield and also ensure that whatever they produced were marketed.

Mr Arko said the programme would soon enter into the production of sweet potatoes and vegetables as well as fish farming.

Source: GNA