|
AfDB to boost large scale farming in Kwahu North District
Mpraeso(ER), April 23, Ghanadot/GNA - The management of
African Development Bank (AfDB) has advanced more than 28.9
million dollars to Ghana for the implementation of an
integrated five-year food security project, as well as
ensure massive infrastructure development in the Affram
Plains area by 2012.
About 70,000 farmers are being targeted under the programme
dubbed the “Affram Plains Development Project” with the
prime objective of increasing food production output to
reduce poverty, and augment household incomes in the Kwahu
North District of the Eastern Region.
Mr Kofi Amoako Tweneboah, Project Coordinator, told the GNA
at Mpraeso on Tuesday, that the Affram Plains was selected
because of its pristine land that was fertile and suitable
for a wide range of crop and animal production.
“The Affram Plains area has one of the least complicated
land tenure systems in Ghana which makes is very attractive
for agriculture investors. This is in addition to the fact
that the Volta River flows through the district making it an
ideal place for all-year irrigation farming.”
Mr Tweneboah said in addition to the AfDB loan, the
Government of Ghana was providing an additional 3.6 million
dollars to follow through the many components of the
project.
Among them is the seeding improvement module to breed nearly
17,000 hectares of superior maize seedlings and supply same
to farmers to enable them increase their current production
target of eight bags per acre to 20 bags by 2012.
An excitement part of the project, Mr Tweneboah told the GNA
was the construction of five fodder banks or silage for
large animal production equipped with veterinary clinics and
the development of pastures to rein-in the situation of
large numbers of cattle grazing over farm lands in the area.
He said this aspect of the project would bring some respite
to farmers who had been bitter about the fall-out from
uncontrolled cattle grazing especially by Fulani herdsmen in
the area.
With regard to vegetable production, Mr Tweneboah explained
that it would target about 1,000 beneficiaries of which 70
per cent would be women.
They would receive a Government of Ghana grant of 60 per
cent for the procurement of irrigation pumps to engage in
all-year farming.
Twenty kilometres of feeder roads to major food producing
area in the district, drilling of 20 boreholes in deprived
communities and the rehabilitation of the ferry that connect
the area to Agordeke in the Volta Region to enhance mobility
would be undertaken.
The remaining modules focused on developing storage
facilities and marketing centres, producing seedlings for
forestation and training of fisher folks in cage culture to
engage in fingerlings production.
GNA
|
