NSS cultivating 5,000 acres of farmland at Ejura Farms

The National Service Scheme (NSS) says its personnel are cultivating 5,000 acres of farmland at its Ejura Farms in the Ashanti region to boost production.

The initiative forms part of efforts by the government to create jobs for the people of the town, initiate developmental agenda there and reduce the import rate into the country.

The Scheme had already worked on over 400 acres which, the Executive Director, Mustapha Ussif, said was a huge success compared to previous years.

On a recent working visit to the farm, Mr Ussif expressed excitement on the progress made on the farms describing the season as one that had come with “a bumper harvest."

He said, the Scheme had strategically been supporting government's Flagship program “Planting for Food and Jobs”.

"We have also collaborated with the National Buffer Stock to support the Free SHS programme," he added.

According to him, they would continue to adopt best farming practices and introduce technologies such as drone spraying to help boost yields in subsequent years.

So far, yields from the farms had been packaged in branded NSS 50kg sacks and stored at the government warehouse on the farm.

Under the current management of NSS, the farms have been revamped entirely to recapture their lost glory.

Apart from the production of maize in larger quantities in Ejura and other parts of the country, the Scheme has also been able to raise about 22,000 birds from 2000 in addition to over 100 sheep and goats at the Nungua and Papao farms in Accra.

The NSS boss said, it gave him a good feeling to realise such an achievement within a short period.

Among those who visited the farm include; Deputy Executive Director Operations, Mr. Kwaku Ohene Djan, Ashanti Regional Director, Mr. Opoku Mensah, the Director of Public Relations, Mr. David Prah and other staffs of the Scheme.

Meanwhile, the Secretariat was constructing fence well for the Ejura government hospital.

The Scheme is currently constructing a fence wall for the Ejura Government Hospital and has also promised to construct mechanised boreholes for the hospital as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility.