Multi-purpose farm is established at Afram Plains

Kwanim (E/R), May 8, GNA - A 38 million-dollar multi-purpose mechanized farm has been established on a 22,000-hectare land at Kwanim, a farming community near Maame Krobo in the Kwahu North District of the Afram Plains. The farm, known as Kwanim Ghana Denmark (GDK) Farm, is a joint venture between a Ghanaian and Danish company for large scale production of maize, Soya beans and piggery for local consumption and for export. The Executive Chairman of the farm, Mr Alexander Frempong Tenkorang, said this to the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, when he visited the farm as part of his two-day working visit to the Kwahu North District. He said the farm, established two years ago, cultivated 400 hectares of maize last year and intends to increase it to 900 hectares this year.

It has 200 workers and the cultivation of the soya beans and piggery projects will come on later. Mr Tenkorang said storage facilities were being built in the farm to store maize while electricity is being extended from Maame Krobo to the farm.

He said a housing project would be undertaken for the workers as well as a basic school and a clinic. Mr Tenkorang said the company will invest 50 per cent of its profit into the project with 15 percent going into social development projects for the surrounding communities.

Mr Tenkorang appealed for a subsidy on fertilizer to enable the company to buy adequate fertilizers and also appealed to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to assist in the extension of power to the farm. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said the government would assist such private investors to establish large scale farms to increase food production to ensure food security.

He appealed to the World Bank and local banks to assist such investors.

The Regional Minister advised workers to work hard and take the farm as their own and avoid laziness, pilfering and other negative practices that could retard the development of the farm. 08 May 09