Vegetable processing plant inaugurated in B/A

A vegetable processing plant “Asutifi Processing and Services Centre (APSC)” -- meant for the production of mainly chilli pepper and ginger -- has been inaugurated at Kenyasi No.1 in the Asutifi North district of Brong Ahafo Region.

The US$694,897 facility, primed to reduce post-harvest losses, is expected to produce at least 65 tonnes of chilli pepper and 80 tonnes of ginger annually -- with an estimated generating turnover of GH¢500,000 per annum by the third year of operation.

The processing centre, alongside other installed accessories, will serve as a multi-purpose hammer milling plant (15 HP) that has the potential to process a wide range of dried produce in the near-future.

APSC will benefit about 1,000 farmers from 80 farmer based organisations (FBOs) in the Ahafo area of the region. The beneficiary farmers are located in communities such as Kenyasi No. 1&2, Ntotroso, Hwidiem, Nkaseim, Gyedu, Wamahinso and Nkrankrom.

The establishment of the APSC as a one-stop centralised processing and services centre is a joint initiative of Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) and Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

Mr. Joep Coenen, General Manager, Newmont Ahafo Mine, in his inaugural address said the company is purposed to create value and improve lives through sustainable mining. “Newmont Ghana is committed to such productive collaborations, aimed at promoting and at fostering viable, socially acceptable and environmentally-sound agricultural development programmes to impact lives”.

He said the Ahafo Mine has since 2006 intiated several agricultural interventions: such the Agricultural Improvement and Land Access Programme (AILAP); the Skills Development and Income Programme (SDIIP); and the Ahafo Agribusiness Growth Initiative (AAG) in order to mitigate mining impacts on agriculture, and they continue to yield positive results.

The Programmes Manager, GIZ-Development Partnerships with the private sector (DPPs), John Duti, stated that the project is expected to improve the income earnings of farmers – among which 70% of the directly impacted households are women and youth.

He prayed the market opportunities created for farmers will attract youth of the area back into agriculture, as most of them have left the sector for illegal mining. Mr. Duti indicated that the farmers are expected to take full ownership of the centre and ensure its sustenance.