EU gives Assembly €537,000 for agriculture

The Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai District Assembly has been selected to benefit from a funding support package from the European Union (EU) to grow the area’s agriculture, Mr. Jacob Ware, the District Chief Executive (DCE), has announced.

He said all was set for the assembly to receive €537.000.00 and gave the assurance that the money would be efficiently applied to boost agricultural production.

He broke the news at the district farmers’ day celebration held at Humjibre to recognize hardworking farmers.  

He said the funds would be used to provide soft loans to people into agri-business, training, capacity building.    

Mr. Ware said the goal was to get more young people to go into farming, aid them to adopt best farm management practices and to apply entrepreneurial skills to make agriculture a productive venture.          

This, he said, would significantly help to bring down youth unemployment in the district.    

He spoke of the government’s determination to introduce policy-interventions to increase crop yield and returns to the farmer and said the free supply of inputs including fertilizers and mass cocoa spraying would continue.     

Mr. George Ofori, the District Director of Agriculture, said steps had been taken to supply cassava and rice farmers with improved planting materials to raise the per-acre yield, to assure farmers of sustainable incomes.    

In all, 30 farmers including two persons with disability – 29-year of Kwaku Owusu, who has lost his sight and Fredrick Armah, a cripple, were recognized for their outstanding contribution to the growth of agriculture in the area.

Mr. Paul Fosu was adjudged the overall district best farmer.

Source: GNA