Last Updated on October 3, 2023 by Admin
The Minerals Development Fund on Tuesday 3rd October, 2023 presented 5000 oil palm seedlings, wellington boots and cutlasses to the Obuasi office of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture for onward distribution to farmers.
The oil palm seedlings are expected to provide alternative livelihood for the youth who are being removed from illegal mining activities and to also support government’s Planting for Exports and Rural Development Program (PERD).
According to the Scheme Coordinator of the Minerals Development Fund Alhaji Adam Abdul Manan, the program which started in 2017 has seen farmers from many mining communities across the country benefiting from it.
He said the Fund recognizes the interest and enthusiasm shown by farmers in Obuasi towards agriculture hence decided to start this year’s distribution in Obuasi.
The Scheme Coordinator further stated that the fund decided to go a step further by adding farm implements to this year’s distribution to aid the efforts of farmers in the mining communities.
The Obuasi Municipal Coordinating Director Stephen Tecku who received the donations on behalf of the Municipal Chief Executive said the Assembly was delighted about the commitment by the MDF to support agriculture in the Municipality.
He was optimistic the beneficiary farmers will take advantage of the oil palm seedlings and the farm implements given, to improve their livelihoods.
The Municipal Director of MOFA Yaw Owusu Donkor lauded the MDF for showing keen interest in the development of agriculture in Obuasi. He said the oil palm seedlings will go a long way to support government’s Planting for Exports and Rural Development.
The Municipal Agric Extension officer Solomon Sarfo Kantanka on his part said so far 53, 000 oil palm seedlings have been supplied to farmers freely in the Obuasi Municipality. He said coupled with coconut seedlings which have been distributed under PERD, he was hopeful that the farmers will plant and protect them to ensure the objectives of the program is achieved.
The beneficiary farmers who spoke with the Information Services Department were full of praise for the MDF. Joseph Kwame Donkor, a farmer at Binsere said farmers in the Municipality have so far had their fair share of the intervention programs from government.
He said farmers are now better placed to improve their yields and enhance their livelihoods.
Margaret Dankwa, a farmer at Mamiriwa seized the opportunity to appeal to government to support women in Agriculture. She said most women have the desire to go into agriculture but face some form of discrimination in terms of access to financial support.
This, she pleaded with government to roll out programs and policies to support them.