Need to create wealth from agricultural waste – Madam He

Madam Lily He, President of Return to Green, a Chinese company which specialises in manufacturing products from agricultural waste on Friday urged government to help create wealth for farmers and stimulate the agricultural sector by investing in the production of biodegradable products.

She made the call during a presentation on production of biodegradable products from agricultural waste at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) in Accra.

Biodegradable products are made from agricultural waste such as husks from maize, wheat, rice, sugar cane and eco friendly materials which decomposes when exposed to the weather and thereby helping to prevent pollution.

Some products that could be manufactured from agricultural waste include flower pots, saucers, bowls, egg trays, laundry bags, paper gift bags, utensils, disposable trays, food trays and restaurant take outs.

Madam He who stressed the need to invest in biodegradable products expressed concern about the financial loss due to inability to create wealth from waste.

She noted that more than 100 products could be manufactured if Ghana would adopt the technology which could be exported to earn foreign exchange.

Madam He expressed her company’s readiness to partner Ghana-based Africa to Green International, which also specialises in the production of biodegradable products to establish a factory to produce materials from agricultural waste.

Professor Zhou Mouzhi, Director of Jian Da Institute of Ecomaterials, Waste Management Specialist Company, pledged to collaborate with Africa to Green International to manufacture flower pots from agricultural waste in the country.

Professor Mouzhi who is also Senior Engineer at Xian University of Architecture and Technology, China, noted that about two million dollars would be needed in the establishment of the factory.

“In addition, we would collaborate on training Ghanaians to manufacture products from agricultural waste,” he added.

Alhaji Adam Mahama, National Coordinator of the Youth in Agriculture programme, lauded the enormous benefits of the technology that would not only help to create wealth but would also reduce waste generation in the country.

Source: GNA