56,000 youth benefit from government agric block farming programme

Navrongo (U/E) July 7 GNA - The Youth in Agriculture programme had benefited about 56,000 youth in the Upper East Region under the Block Farming Programme.

The young men and women are cultivating maize, Soya beans, pepper, r ice and onion on a farmland area of about 300 hectors with an expected yield capable of sustaining the food security requirement of the region by more

than half. The estimated value seed input is 754,875 and the gross income per e ach farmer would be Gh¢2,640.

The Managing Director of the Irrigation Company of Upper East Region , Mr Issah Alhassan Bukari, disclosed this when Mr. Mark Woyongo, Regional Minister visited Tono in Navrongo in the Kassena-Nankana East District. Mr Bukari noted that government had provided farm equipment includin g combine harvesters, tractors and fertilizers for the programme. He indicated that the programme was designed to provide food and mon ey for the socio-economic development of the citizenry. He said an Italian firm and the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) were collaborating with the company to feed the Pwalungu Tomato Factory during the tomato seasons.

The Fumbisi and Gbedembisi Valley in the Builsa District would have 496.36 hectors of farmland cultivated for rice and other cereals. Mr Wayongo noted that government was committed to ensuring food security for the people and that a number of programmes had been develope d to achieve this aim.

He said government would continue to purchase modern machinery such as sprayers and combine harvesters to support the programme. He however expressed his displeasure with the slow pace of work bein g done by the facilitators of the programme for the farmers to start work before the rains stopped. Mr. Norbert Awuley, Builsa District Chief Executives, who accompanie d the Minister, said the assembly was prepared to support the farmers to provide food for the nation and called on the youth to see farming as a lucrative venture which could bring fortune into their lives.