The handing over took place on Tuesday, January 29 amidst dancing and drumming with the hope this would encourage their youth to venture into agriculture as they work hand in hand with the Indian farmers.

In a speech read by Mama Amewuame III, Queen mother of Avakpedome, she said the construction of the Akosombo and Kpong dams had left the Tongu communities in abject poverty as they were predominantly fishermen and oyster pickers and urged the investors to inculcate the habit of farming in their youth.

The Chief Executive Officer of the firm, Siddharth Mohindroo explained the firm has 2 goals, setting up a model farm and second, creating employment and other opportunities for growth and development for the Central Tongu youth.

“We seek to establish a model farm with our highly experienced Indian farmers and through operational efficiency.”

“We also want to involve the local people of Adidome and Central Tongu in the growth story by having them work with us grow this organisation,” he added.

The District Chief Executive for the area, Thomas Moore Zonyrah who led the farmers to the place asked for a good working relationship between the locals and the farmers and urged the youth to learn whatever farming techniques they could from them.

He warned that the project “is not a party project” but a project for the youth of Central Tongu and that no party member should be seen intimidating people they think do not belong to the NPP but working on the farm.

Mafi Avakpedome and Mafi Tsetsekpo are situated along the lower Volta basin between the sacred forest of Koleve, Dzodzeve and Avakpe.