As part of government’s key intervention to mitigate the impact of current economic challenge and return the country to sustained path of robust growth, the Millennium Development Authority, in collaboration with GhanaCARES Obaatan Pa Programme, has launched the first phase of the GhanaCares Economic Enclave Project (EEP).
The project, which is under the auspices of the Ministry of Finance and also referred to as the Noryaa Akutso Economic Enclave Project, is located at the Kasunya-Nyaphienya in the Shai Osudoku District, with a shared boundary with Tsokpoli in the Greater Accra Region.
The enclave is a designated mix-use economic space which seeks to create viable ecosystem for private sector to engage in commercial farming.
Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, who launched the project last Friday on behalf of President Akufo-Addo, said the Enclave’s objective is to remarkably expand the country’s productive capacity in rice, tomato, maize, soya, vegetables and poultry to complement the gains of the Planting for Food and Jobs policy.
“In summary, the EEP is aimed at improving Ghana’s food security while reducing the rising food import bill, and addressing youth unemployment,” she indicated.
The project is expected to further sustain and enhance the scale, quality and reliability of feedstock for the country’s agro-processing industry.
The first phase, which comprises a 10,000-acre land is part of the initial seven of such enclaves nationwide, with other regions including Ashanti, Central, Western, Western North, Savannah and Oti Regions earmarked for such purposes.
“The Economic Enclave Project will increase growth and income through agriculture, and generate over GH¢500million in income each year for private sector actors participating in the programme upon full nationwide roll-out,” Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta said at the launch.
A pilot phase of the current model has commenced with cultivation of a 1,000-acre rice farm within the enclave.
Job creation
Mr. Ofori Atta disclosed that the EEP is expected to create over 200,000 jobs, comprising 105,000 and 95,000 direct and indirect jobs respectively for unemployed young people.
Participation in the EEP, according to the minister, is open to agricultural landowners with at least 1,000-acre of land, private value chain workers of the priority commodities and youth groups.
Chief Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Robert Ankobiah, who represented the sector minister, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, said the EEP initiative would further enhance and complement the progress made by the PFJ policy.
He was delighted that the multi-dimensional project would develop the country’s agriculture landscape and open up the country for commercial farming activities.
“This initiative is at the heart of MoFA as it will boost the creation of road networks, market linkages, among several other benefits,” he noted.
