B/A Region sets out to promote mango production

Techiman, Nov 02, GNA - A one-day workshop on the introduction of a new approach to the development of mango cultivation in Brong-Ahafo has been held in Techiman.

Participants included representatives of local and foreign businesses, farmers, traders, financial institutions, transporters, public and civil service organizations, traditional authorities, religious organizations and NGOs.

Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development organized the workshop. The new approach, known as "Participatory Appraisal of Competitive Advantage (PACA) with methodology, has been developed in Germany and applied in South America, Asia, Europe and South Africa with good results and has also been successfully applied in Kintampo and Berekum districts.

Mr John Manu, the Techiman Municipal Director of Agriculture, Said farmers could increase their income through the cultivation and processing of other non-traditional crops as mango, which the region has a competitive advantage.

The participants proposed the formation of cooperative association for mango farmers, implementation of a standardized price for mango, capacity building, costing and business plan and identifying marketing avenue for mango.