Grasscutter breeders to get CIDA loan

Nkawkaw, June 14, GNA - One hundred grasscutter breeders in the Kwahu West District are to benefit from a 140-million-cedi Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) loan through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA).

The amount is to help them construct hutches, purchase improved breeds and maintain the animals.

The District Agricultural Officer in-charge of Extension Services, Mr Joseph Boakye Denkyi, announced this at a day's workshop for the farmers from ten groups on grasscutter rearing under the Food and Agriculture Budgetary Support (FABS) programme at Nkawkaw. The breeders were taken through topics like financial management, construction of hutches and proper upkeep of the animals. Mr Denkyi asked them to ensure effective utilization of the loan to enable them to pay back on schedule, saying the District MOFA office would purchase 60 improved breeds of grasscutters from the Republic of Benin for distribution to the groups.

He advised them to implement all technical advise from the extension and veterinary officers to improve the health of the grasscutters to enhance production.

On behalf of the farmers, one of the participants, Mr Kwasi Botwe, thanked the government for the assistance, which he noted would go a long way to offer employment to the youth and also help improve the protein requirement of the people.

He appealed for the increase of the loan and also extension of the repayment period from one-and-half years to two years since they would not be able to produce enough to repay the loan.