The Adansi Akrofuom District Assembly has distributed about 4,000 coconut seedlings to 150 farmers to improve coconut production in the district.
The free distribution of seedlings was in line with government’s Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) initiative launched in 2019, which is aimed at creating a sustainable raw material base for industries. It is also to propel economic growth and provide household income for rural farmers.
Richard Nyamekye, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture’s District Director, said in all 150 farmers are expected to benefit from the coconut seedlings at a cost of GH¢20,000 – funded through the assembly’s share of the Common Fund.
“In 2018 we distributed 15,000 palm-nuts and last year we planted 25,000 cocoa trees even though it is not part of PERD, but it helped the farmers. This year, we are on course to nurse 10,000 malicia dwarf coconut; but currently we are sharing 4,000,” he added.
Maurice Jonas Woode, District Chief Executive Officer (DCE), admonished farmers to always heed the advice of agric-officers and take the education they give seriously. He hailed the PERD programme and said it will provide raw materialsfor industries under government’s One District, One Factory programme.
Alex Blankson, Member of Parliament for Akrofuom Constituency, told the farmers that discussions are ongoing between his office and the DCE to see how best they can increase the seedlings, so that at the next distribution each farmer will get a large quantity.
Receiving seedlings on behalf of the farmers, Albert Amissah thanked the assembly for their efforts in assisting farmers. He advised his colleagues to take advantage of the programme to improve their livelihoods.
