Damang (W/R), May 03, GNA – Abosso Goldfields Limited (AGL) through the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation has spent 8.76 million Ghana cedis to develop the agricultural sector of the company’s host communities.
This amount represents 21% of the company’s total investment of 42 million Ghana cedis.
The investment include livestock production, oil palm plantation, production of vegetables under the SEED programme, organic vegetable production under the Youth in Organic Horticulture Production (YouHoP) programme and cocoa support programme for farmers.
Speaking at a ceremony to distribute about 2,172 bags of fertilizers to 360 farmers at Damang in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality, Mr Charles Kofi Nti, Relieving General Manager of AGL in a speech read on his behalf said in 2018, AGL in collaboration with the Huni-Valley Cocoa farmers Association of the Ghana Cocoa Coffee Sheanut farmers Association together with the Damang Mine Consultative Farmers Association (DMCFA) begun the programme to offer assistance to farmers.
He said since cocoa contributed significantly to Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product, the company decided to economically empower their catchment communities to become the leading producers of cocoa in the country.
Mr Nti said in 2018 the company supported 120 farmers with fertilizers as against 240 farmers in 2019, adding that, each farmer was expected to benefit from the programme for three years.
He said “AGL has so far spent over 304,000 Ghana cedis on the programme and the first batch would be receiving their final inputs, I urge you all including the new group to comply with the farm management directives given by the agricultural extension agents”.
Mr Nti said “We will at the end of the cycle conduct an evaluation to ascertain the success of the programme. This will inform future decisions and strategies to consider in the development of the agricultural sector”.
Madam Maud Ofosua Ofori, Community Affairs manager, entreated the beneficiaries to make good use of the farm inputs presented to them and also observe the requisite agronomic practices to enable them reap the benefits of their work to improve upon their livelihoods.
The Municipal Director of Agriculture, Mr Gabriel Adjargo, expressed gratitude to the firm for supporting the Prestea Huni-Valley Assembly to promote agriculture and appealed to other institutions to emulate AGL by assisting farmers in the country.
Nana Kofi Enyam, Gyasehene of Damang Divisional Area, on his part commended AGL for initiating the support programme.
The Municipal Chief Farmer, Nana Thomas Boakye who received the items on behalf of his colleagues thanked AGL for aiding farmers to improve upon their standard of living.
GNA