Agriculture modernization receives boost

Fawohoyeden (B/A), Feb. 6, GNA - The government's policy of modernizing agriculture for accelerated national development has received a major boost in Asunafo North District of the Brong-Ahafo with an increase in incentives and funds.

About 300 farmers have received inputs and credits worth 300 million cedis from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to enhance their activities.

Alhaji Ishak A. Bonsu, District Chief Executive, who disclosed this at a Peoples' Assembly at Fawohoyeden on Monday said, the government had also expended more than 776 million cedis as allowances and wages for 2,044 gang supervisors, sprayers and mechanics in the mass cocoa spraying exercise in the area.

He stated that the private sector involvement in the agriculture sector had also experienced a similar boost with a government grant of 839 million cedis to 12 farmer-based organizations.

The organizations are engaged in crop cultivation, processing and livestock rearing as well as poultry production in communities such as Goaso, Mim, Kasapin, Nyankomago and Daudakrom all in the district.

Under the youth employment programme, the DCE said 115 youth; mainly SSS graduates had been engaged as community teaching assistants in the rural communities.

More than 70 million cedis have also been disbursed to 53 of them to cultivate maize and vegetables to help reduce poverty, Alhaji Bonsu added.

He reiterated that 60 school leavers had been recruited and were undergoing orientation for deployment to community clinics and hospitals as health assistants.

The DCE said as part of measures to provide potable water to all communities, the Assembly had drilled 53 boreholes at a total cost of 3.4 billion cedis and 18 hand dug wells at a cost of 180 million cedis.

Alhaji Bonsu said the construction of a 2.1 billion cedis Small Town Water System at Akrodie under the Community Based Rural Development Project facility would soon begin.

He expressed optimism that these projects when completed would bring the needed relief and increase productivity in many communities.

The DCE said the district received a capitation grant of 1.2 billion cedis, which had been disbursed to primary and junior secondary schools, adding that, the introduction of the school-feeding programme at Odurokrom and Akwaboa Number Two Local Authority Primary Schools had led to an increase in enrolment.

A number of feeder roads, he said, are also being rehabilitated.