Cassava farmers in Hohoe to receive Assembly support

Madam Sandra Ofori, Hohoe Municipal Director of Agriculture, says the Directorate has secured a 10-acre land in Gbi-Wegbe and Gbi-Godenu, to be used as a cassava multiplication site in the Municipality.

She said the site would serve as a source for getting improved varieties of cassava planting materials to distribute to farmers and in turn boost its production to enhance agribusinesses.

Madam Ofori speaking at the 36th National Farmers’ Day celebration in Hohoe, on the theme: “Ensuring Agribusiness Development under COVID-19; Opportunities and Challenges,” said rice farmers in the Municipality would also be supported.

“The Ministry of Food and Agriculture through a Public-Private initiative is putting up a modern rice mill at Gbi-Godenu to serve the entire Municipality and beyond to boost rice production.”, adding that, the Ministry was also providing harvesters to support rice farmers.

Madam Ofori noted that “Klex Farm”, a new animal feed production company, with an installed capacity of 1.2 tonnes per hour had been established in Santrokofi Benua to help poultry and livestock farmers in the Municipality.

She said the Directorate would engage youth and women groups to raise and give out rabbits as part of promoting the Rearing for Food and Jobs programme to encourage the production and consumption of rabbits in the Municipality.

The Director disclosed that there would be collaborations with the Social Welfare, Ghana Education Service (GES), and Ghana Health Service (GHS) in the coming year to promote healthy practices that made agriculture developed.

She noted that the issues of climate change was a reality, not a myth as confirmed by the climatic conditions in the Municipality adding that the weather was no longer predictable and there was a thin line between the major and minor season.

Madam Ofori entreated the citizenry to be careful about their activities especially bush burning as well as indiscriminate cutting of trees during this harmattan.

Mr Andrews Teddy Ofori, Hohoe Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), noted that the COVID-19 had not spared the agricultural sector, which happened to be the backbone of Ghana’s economy. He said the Assembly and the Directorate would work assiduously to create a competitive advantage in rice production by exploiting opportunities available to ensure development of agribusiness in the Municipality.

“I want to commend the staff of the Department of Agriculture, particularly the Agriculture Extension Agents (AEAs) for their services to the development of the sector despite the resource limitations they faced.”

Certificates, fridges, deep freezers, cutlasses, and knapsack sprayers were given to award winners.

Mr Emmanuel Ababio, won the overall Municipal Best farmer, Mr John Dogbe, 1st Runner-Up, Mr Samuel Wudzedze, 2nd Runner-Up, Mr Hayford Atando, Best Animal farmer, and Mr Jonah Boadi, Best Food Crop farmer.

Others were Madam Rebecca Mensah, Best Processor, Madam Martha Gamor, Best Agric Worker, Mr Kalayi Emmanuel, Best Tree Crop farmer, and Mr Clemence Atta, Best Physically Challenged farmer.