KOICA supports Dwahenya Rural Development project

A ground breaking ceremony has been held at Dawhenya in the Greater Accra Region to commence work on the Dawhenya Integrated Rural Development Project.

The 3.6 million- dollar project funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency, (KOICA), which would be completed in December 2013, is aimed at enhancing the standard of living of people in the Dawhenya community.

Mr Clement Kofi Humado, Minister of Food and Agriculture, said two million dollars would be used for construction works and the rest to train Ghanaians and provide logistics for the project.

The Minister said the project has many components, which would require the collaboration of ministries like Local Government and Rural Development, Education, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Development with Food and Agriculture as the lead Ministry.

Mr Humado said the components of the project include rehabilitation of the Dawhenya Irrigation Scheme, replacement of inefficient electrical pumps, and establishing a farmer training centre.

He said the project would create employment along the value chain as rice and other high value commodities would be introduced to the society.

“It is the greatest desire of the stakeholder ministries and government that the construction work would be carried out professionally,” he said.

Mr Kyun Jea-min, Korea Ambassador said: “We Koreans remember the help we received from the international community during our development phases and would now like to return that favour. In this regard, we are expanding our official development assistance by sharing Korea’s development experience with priority partner countries like Ghana”.

Mr Jea- min said the cooperative relations between Ghana and Korea has advanced adding that the ceremony signifies a step towards an even closer friendship between the two countries.

Mr Samuel Andoh Owusu, Ningo Prampram District Coordinating Director, said the Assembly would provide and support data collection on activities of farmers, and enhance farmers’ access to micro finance and hire purchase programmes for agricultural machinery.

“We would assist farmers to produce for the local and export markets, provide security and register farmers for development purposes,” he added.