The Asene Manso Akroso District Assembly is to acquire equipment to add value to agriculture produce under the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) produce.
The aim is to increase the incomes of farmers and create new opportunities and jobs for the youth in the District.
The equipment, to arrive in the District soon, include oil palm digester, oil palm boiler, a cracker, winnowing machine, rice mill, and destoning machine.
This was disclosed by Mr. Prosper Klu, the District Director of Agriculture at the Research Extension and Farmers Linkage Committee (RELC) session at Akim Manso in the Eastern Region.
The RELC session is held annually to bring actors on the agriculture value chain including farmers, food processors, input dealers, and consumers to meet Agriculture Extension Agents and Researchers to address challenges on the various fields in the agriculture value chain.
Mr. Klu explained that the session helped the department to draw its annual work plan.
The meeting observed that climate change, worm infestation, and poor farm management were the major causes of low productivity in the District.
Mr. Francis Ampofo, the Assistant Agricultural Officer in Charge of Monitoring and Evaluation at the Eastern Regional Agriculture Directorate, urged the participants to seek advice from the Agriculture Extension Agents in the District to improve upon their farm maintenance.
Mr. David Nyavor of the Eastern Regional Agriculture Engineering Department said his department has mechanic planters, tractors, cassava harvester, multi-crop thresher, rice reaper, among others to enhance farming activities at the Agriculture Engineering Services Directorate in Accra.
He said Farmer Based Organisations (FBO), individuals, or Non-Governmental Organisations could purchase them at subsidized prices by the government.
Madam Comfort Anim, Leader of Ideal Women’s Group, an oil palm processing group in Akim Asuboa, called on food processors to abide by hygienic protocols in their work to ensure good health and safety during and after the coronavirus pandemic.
GNA.
