AGRICULTURE

Asutifi South farmers supplied with free rice seed
Farmers in the Asutifi South District of the Brong Ahafo region have been supplied with free rice seeds to help boost rice production in the district.

Date Created : 3/29/2018 5:27:06 AM : Story Author : Alice Abubakari/ Ghanadistricts.com

The farmer will in addition, be provided with free weedicides and nets to prevent birds from feeding on the grains.

Disclosing this at a short ceremony, District Chief Executive (DCE) of the area, Mr Robert Dwommoh Mensah noted that, the initiative formed part of government’s intentions to reduce rice importation in the country and also create jobs and wealth for the people.

According to him, the initiative is to encourage the youth to venture into farming business adding that, over seven hundred and fifty small holder farmers in the district are expected to benefit from the project.

The project, he said, was borne out of the Needs Assessment conducted in December last year about the government’s flagship Planting for Food and Jobs (PfJ) program. The assessment was to examine the performance of PfJ in the District and how to scale it up.
Meanwhile, the assembly through District Directorate of Agriculture (DDA) has partnered the Kumasi Institute of Tropical Agriculture (KITA) to train the farmers and Agriculture Extension Agents (AEA) on professional farming and good farming practices.
Plans are also underway to leverage for additional funding to support ginger farmers.