Atta Boateng (in brown) interacting with the Abamba community
The Atebubu-Amantin Municipal Office of the Department of Agriculture has sensitized the Akokoa, Kumfia, and Abamba communities on the government’s agricultural flagship ‘Feed Ghana’ programme.
According to the Municipal Head of the Department, Bright Atta Boateng, the initiative aims to increase food production for both domestic consumption and export.
He said the programme, which also seeks to ensure food security, will see the government investing in staples like maize, rice, sorghum, soya beans, cassava, yam, and potatoes.
Atta Boateng indicated that vegetables such as tomatoes, pepper, and onions will be cultivated, while the production of ruminants like goats, sheep, and cattle—as well as pigs and poultry—will be boosted. He added that tree crops like mango, cashew, coconut, oil palm, and shea nut will also be supported under the initiative.
On the modalities, he explained that the government will provide quality planting and breeding materials, tractor services, and agro-inputs to farmers at an agreed cost. Beneficiaries will be required to repay in kind with produce from their farms on a specified date. He urged beneficiaries to be honest in their dealings with authorities to ensure the survival of the initiative and to allow others to benefit from it.
He added that the prospects offered by the programme—along with plans to make the municipality one of the initial beneficiaries of the proposed Farmer Service Centers—present a major opportunity for farmers to boost agriculture and improve their livelihoods through increased incomes.
Atta Boateng therefore, encouraged farmers to form groups of between 15 and 40 members, which he said is a key prerequisite for accessing support under the programme. He noted, however, that interested existing groups with more than 40 members will not be affected by the ceiling.
The director, together with a team of staff from his office, addressed concerns raised by the farmers.
Some farmers expressed enthusiasm about the initiative but were quick to caution against the pitfalls experienced in past interventions, where some beneficiaries failed to repay support received, leading to the collapse of otherwise laudable programmes.
