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AGRICULTURE

A total of 2,769 farmers benefit from PFJ in South Day

A total of 2,769 farmers have benefited from Government's Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) initiative in the South Dayi District of the Volta region.

Date Created : 10/25/2019 12:00:00 AM : Story Author : Caleb Kuleke

The farmers, who are made up of 1,935 men and 834 women have also benefited from subsidised fertilizers and seeds and are into maize, cassava, rice and plantain production.

Mr Ernest Patrick Kojo Mallet, the District Chief Executive (DCE), South Dayi, who disclosed this to Ghana News Agency on sidelines of the Assembly's Meet-The- Press forum at Kpeve said the Assembly would do its best to ensure that the people benefited from Government's flagship Programmes to enhance their lots.

The DCE said 499 farmers also signed onto the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) initiative and were into cashew, oil palm, sweet potato and cassava production.He said the District agriculture extension officers also schooled farmers on the use of modern technologies such as proper application of fertilizers, diseases and pests control, planting in distance, planting in time and how to prevent post-harvest loses, resulting in high yields.

Mr Mallet said maize production in the District went up from 4,229.82 Metric Tonnes in 2016 to 6,650.7 in 2018, cassava 18,387 in 2016 to 29, 459.2 in 2018, rice 49. 61 in 2016 to 134.32 in 2018, plantain 742 in 2016 to 746 in 2017.

The DCE said the Assembly also procured 10,000 cashew seedlings out of which 1,300 had already been distributed to farmers.He said the Assembly so far cultivated 241.5 acres of cashew out of targeted 5,000 acres, 435 acres of oil palm out of targeted 10,000 acres, 103 acres of sweet potato and 69 acres of cassava.

Mr Mallet said PERD aimed at encouraging the farmers to cultivate tree crops such as mangoes, coffee, cocoa, oil palm, cassava, coconut and cashews as a form of investment and to produce raw materials to spur the establishment of a factory in the District.

The DCE said Planting for Food and Jobs, and Planting for Export and Rural Development initiatives were making significant impacts on the economy and â€œTherefore not surprising that, the nation cut down on the importation of some staple crops.

"Mr Mallet noted that importation of food into the country had not only contributed to the depreciation of the country's currency, but also led to an increase in the unemployment rate of the country".

He said it also posed a great threat to the security of the nation and called on the citizenry to support the government in implementing the initiatives for accelerated socio-economic development.

The Media engagement was an initiative by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, in collaboration with the Ministry of Information.

It was to encourage Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to interact with the media toaccount for their stewardship.

The forum also formed part of government's agenda to promote openness, transparency, accountability and participation of citizens and interest groups such as the media.