Amenfifarms Ghana Limited has cut the sod for a starch processing factory under One District One Factory (1D1F) programme at Wassa Akropong in the Wassa Amenfi East Municipality in the Western Region.
The company is an agro industry player focused entity on cultivating cassava with the aim of adding value to cultivated crop to feed local industries as well as for export.
The cassava starch factory, a partnership with Tiast West Africa, will be in two phases. The first would cover an area of four acres and is expected to produce 20s ton per day whilst the phase two which would start in the next six months will cover an area of 15 acres and will also produce 300 tons per day.
A total of 5,000 direct jobs and 2200 indirect jobs is expected from this project. Cassava for the production of starch is currently ready on the company’s farm.
Andrews Kofi Gyan, Chief Executive Officer of Amenfifarms Ghana Limited at the ceremony appealed to the Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah to help the company reclaim some lands affected by illegal mining activities.
“This will enable us secure some farm machinery such as tractors, plough and other farm implement procured by government to help in mechanization of the agricultural sector in Ghana,” he said.
Lisa Hao, Country Director of Tiast West Africa explained that “we are the technical partners of the factory and we provide professional technical support to them. Standardized cassava processing equipment will be supplied while installation and debugging will be provided as well as training of local staff,” she said.
Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, Western Regional Minister said: “1D1F, which is the dream of President Akufo-Addo has been materialized. I believe this factory should be completed ahead of time; employing people, will have a multiplying effect on families and urged the youth to take their work seriously,” he said.
He added that the Western Regional Coordinating Council is ever ready to support the factory to grow. “We will bring the Agric Mechanization Center close to the factory and that land reclamation would also be looked at for you to plant more cassava,” he said
Tetrete Okuamoah Sekyem II, Omanhene of Wassa Akropong Traditional Area urged community members especially the youth who are interested in farming to plant cassava which takes six months to mature. “Planting cassava should be on a large scale so you can be able to sell it to the factory,” he added.
