Adansi Akrofuom: Farmers receive 10,000 coconut seedlings to support 1D1F programme

The Akrofuom District in the Ashanti Region is positioning itself to take advantage of the government’s flagship programme – One District One Factory(1D1F) by making raw materials readily available for potential investors.

This was revealed by the DCE for Akrofuom Maurice Jonas Woode when he joined the Member of Parliament for the area Alex Blankson to distribute 10,000 coconut seedlings to 250 farmers in the district.

The Assembly through its efforts to woo investors to the District had earlier distributed 4000 coconut seedlings as well as over 80,000 oil palm seedlings freely to farmers in the district as part of the Planting for Exports and Rural Development (PERD) programme.

According to the DCE, the Assembly through the PERD programme is seeking to create a sustainable raw material base to spur up the decentralised industrialization drive of the Government through the ‘One District, One Factory initiative.

He said, “factories could not run without raw materials, hence the Assembly is focusing on readying raw materials like coconut and oil palm for potential investors.”

Youth in agric

Woode expressed delight in the number of youth who turned up to receive the Coconut seedlings. He said the time has come for the youth to accept the enormous benefit of agriculture. He mentioned that youth involvement in agriculture will ensure sustainability.

He said, “we cannot always rely on mining to survive. I want to encourage the youth of this district to take advantage of the plethora of Agric related programs introduced by this government. This will empower them economically and make them self-reliant.”

Alternative livelihoods

The Member of Parliament for Adansi Akrofuom, Alex Blankson said the Assembly through PERD will support the government’s Alternative Livelihood Programme to offer alternative sources of income for people who were once engaged in illegal mining.

He said currently the hitherto arable lands in Akrofuom have been depleted through the activities of illegal miners.

He said galamsey activities will not bode well for the future of the youth hence the need to take advantage of the free coconut seedlings by the Assembly and go into coconut production.

“If you have two acres of land, we will give you 140 seedlings and if one tree gives you 200 nuts in a year, you will have in excess of GHC28, 000 as profit. So I urge the youth to get involved and be economically independent.”

He stressed that the implementation of the programme would reduce poverty and improve livelihood in the district.

The district director of agric, Richard Kwaku Nyamekye lauded the efforts by the DCE and MP to get the seedlings readily available for farmers.

He urged them to continue to support the development of agric in the district.

He also disclosed that his outfit will deploy technical officers to the farms of the beneficiaries to assist them with fertilisation, early weeding and other technical aspects needed by the farmers to improve their yield.

Women in agric

Anastasia Serwaa, a farmer and a beneficiary talked about the benefits of agriculture and advised women to develop an interest in agriculture.

She said, “Women face a lot of challenges including stereotyping when we go into Agriculture but I urge women to be resolute.”

Sampson Manu

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