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AGRICULTURE

N DAYI: Gov’t to launch “Planting for Jobs and Industries”

Government is to launch a new agriculture intervention programme dubbed "“Planting for Jobs and Industries” targeted at young graduates and the youth who want to go into agriculture.

Date Created : 12/8/2017 12:24:46 AM : Story Author : Dominic Shirimori/Ghanadistricts.com

District Chief Executive of North Dayi District, Kudjoh Attah who revealed this at the 33rd National Farmers' Day celebration at Botoku Tove, in the North Dayi District said under the “Planting for Jobs and Industries” programme, the Ministry will be supporting young graduates and the youth who want to go into agriculture to produce some selected cash crops such as cashew, coffee, cocoa, coconut, mango, oil palm and citrus.

"Potential farmers should at least grow 10 acres of any of the above crops for the next four (4) years. Farmers will be supported with free planting materials and free extension support services on the farm and other subsidized inputs", he added.

The program will be run by the District Assemblies under the auspices of District Centre Commerce Agric and Technology (DCAC).

He thus admonished the youth to take advantage of the intervention and get into full time farming, as this is a sure way to reduce poverty and improve the local economy.

The DCE said, government is already making good its promise to modernize agriculture, increase agriculture production for food sustainability as a way to transforming the economy. He said a number of interventions have been rolled out in the sector including "Planting for Food and Jobs" initiative where beneficiary farmers are provided with;

• Quality Seed

• Subsidized Fertilizer

• Enhanced Extension Service Delivery

• Market Access

• E-Agriculture.

And noted that this initiative is already yielding results. However, registration is now ongoing fr the implementation of other programmes like "One-District-One Factory", and "One-District-One Cash Crop initiatives, and urged Assembly members to assist in this registration exercise so that the district can achieve its target of at least 5,000 farmers under the programmes.

Touching on the theme for the celebration "Farming for Food and Jobs", the DCE noted that the government’s programs on job creation or wealth creation, can only be achieved through conscious and innovative interventions in agriculture, hence the theme was very appropriate.

"When farming is looked at beyond subsistence and the necessary business models are deployed, the obvious resultant effect is the creation of job opportunities. When jobs are created and sustained, wealth certainly will be experienced. The district focus and target is on the youth, our teeming youth, who should take advantage of the many interventions in the field of agriculture in order to set themselves apart from poverty", he advised.