ECONOMICS

BAC holds consultative forum
The Atebubu-Amantin municipal office of the Business Advisory Centre BAC in collaboration with the municipal assembly has held a day’s consultative forum on the ‘1 district one factory’ and ‘planting for food and jobs’ initiatives.

Date Created : 8/15/2018 12:56:19 PM : Story Author : Daniel Oduro-Stewart/Ghanadistricts.com

According to the municipal head of BAC Mr. Isaac Oppong, the forum funded by the Rural Enterprises Programme was aimed at educating participants on the opportunities offered by the 2 initiatives and how they could take advantage of them.

He said the 2 programmes come with job opportunities; enhancement of incomes for farmers and other players in the agriculture value chain as well as earn the country the much needed foreign exchange.

The municipal director of the Department of Agriculture, Mr. George Amanyo took the meeting through what has been done in the municipality since the inception of the ‘planting for food and jobs’ initiative, the impact it has had on beneficiaries and asked participants to take advantage of it.

The Chief Executive Officer of Amantin Agro Processing Company Ltd AAPCL, Mr. Williams Kwaku Boateng said his outfit which is one of the factories designated under 1d1f is engaging about 1800 out grower farmers to produce cassava to augment produce from the factories own 8000 hectare farm.

He said the out growers will be supported with inputs and ploughing services the cost of which they will refund after harvest.

The manager of the Atebubu branch of the Agricultural Development Bank Mr. Clement Sakyi described the credit worthiness of farmers in the municipality as poor and urged them not to abuse the opportunity offered by AAPCL.

The factory which has the production of ethanol and starch as it primary focus can process 1200 tons of cassava daily and will employ about 12,000 people both directly and indirectly when it begins operation.

Participants were drawn from farmers groups, assembly members the department of agriculture and financial institutions.

Present was the municipal chief farmer Mr. Amadu Kwasi Addo and last year’s national best livestock farmer Mr. Yusif Bunbas.