Government’s agriculture programmes ensuring food security and better farmers’ income – DCE
The government’s agricultural policies, programmes and interventions are meant to ensure food security and enhanced income of farmers’, Mr Francis Kwadwo Oppong, the Dormaa West District Chief Executive said on Friday.
Mr Oppong reiterated to practicalise and actualise its plans of ameliorating the socio-economic conditions of citizens, the government has introduced a number of initiatives such as the Planting for Food and Jobs (PfFJs), Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) and Rearing for Food and Jobs (RfFJs) being implemented.
He cited “one coconut seedling now cost GH¢10.00”, saying “if a farmer received 100 seedlings free, government is enabling him/her to be making profit and more money out of GhC1000.00 in a short time”.
Mr Oppong was speaking at a short presentation ceremony of 7000 coconut seedlings to some beneficiary farmers in the District at Nkrankwanta, the capital in the Bono Region in fulfilment of the government’s pledge under the PERD’s programme to improve on their livelihoods.
He advised the farmers to use the seedlings for its intended purpose, adding “the Assembly will liaise with the District Directorate of Agriculture to monitor the progress of their activities in their farms”.
Mr Paul Avah, the District Director of Agriculture expressed government’s determination to enhance the agriculture sector through distribution of seedlings to farmers in the district and across the country.
He advised farmers not only to engage in cocoa cultivation but must diversify their production base to include the cultivation of tree crops.
Mr. Avah entreated the farmers to take proper care of the seedlings to enable them to achieve positive results.
Cash crop farmers in the district had previously benefited from the distribution of 5000 oil palm seedlings and 8000 coffee seedlings from the Assembly.
Speaking later in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, some of the farmers expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the government for the interventions.
Source: GNA