10,000 farmers to be taught rabbit rearing

About 10,000 farmers in the Ashanti Region would be trained and equipped to rear rabbits and to produce quality vegetables by the end of the year under a project known as Rabbit/Vegetable Project.

The project, which is a joint venture between the Kumasi Institute of Tropical Agriculture (KITA) and the Eatwell Practical Rabbitary International (EPRI), a non-governmental organisation, has started with the training of 200 farmers at the project site at Nobewam in the Ejisu-Juaben District.

Mr K.A. Abu Seidu, Director of the Rabbit/Vegetable Project who announced this at the official opening of the project, said the project was not going to be limited to only farmers but would be extended to retired civil and public servants as well as the unemployed youth.

He said trainees would pay a token fee for tuition and practical work.

They will be assisted with capital from a revolving credit fund to be established under the project after completion of their three-week intensive training to initiate their own projects.

"We thought it prudent to produce rabbits and vegetables together because the rabbits will give the vegetables fertilizer to grow while leftovers from the vegetables will also serve as feed for the rabbits," he said.

Dr Noah Owusu-Takyi, Director of KITA, expressed concern about the tendency of some Ghanaians to perceive farming as a part-time venture reserved only for illiterates and school drop-outs.

He said KITA would as from this year start on a programme that would help farmers rather see farming as a full-time business venture.

Under the programme farmers will be assisted to develop their own business plans and "possess the qualities of corporate entities".

Nana Adu Gyamfi, chief of Nobewam, commended KITA and EPRI for locating the project in the town and appealed to all farmers in the area to take advantage of the project by incorporating rabbit rearing in their farming activities to earn more income.