Sampa, (B/R), Jan. 10, GNA – The Tree Crop Development Authority (TCDA) says it will distribute five million seedlings nationwide under the government’s Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) programme this year.
Mr William A. Quaittoo, the Chief Executive Officer of the TCDA, who announced this, said distribution of the seedlings was a directive from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA).
He said the Authority distributed 1.2 million seedlings, comprising rubber, oil palm, mango, coconut, shea and cashew seedling under PERD in 2021.
Mr Quaittoo disclosed this when speaking at the close-out session of a three-year project implemented by the Adventist Relief Agency (AGRA) held at Sampa in the Jaman North District of the Bono Region.
The European Union (EU) and ADRA UK co-funded the implementation of the “Bono-Asante Atea” project aimed at enhancing cashew production in five Districts and Municipalities of Bono and Ashanti Regions.
The project implementing areas include Wenchi Municipality, Tain, Banda, Jaman North and Nkoranza North Districts in Bono and Ejura Sekyeredumase Municipality of the Ashanti Regions.
Mr Quaitttoo advised farmers engaged in economic crops to register with the PERD to benefit the seedlings and cautioned the various directorate of agriculture against distributing the seedlings on partisan considerations.
He said cashew had huge economic prospects and entreated farmers to increase production and quality yields as well.
Mr Quaittoo described the nation’s annual cashew production of 160,000 metric tons as insignificant, saying global demand for cashew kept increasing, hence the need for farmers to improve production.
Dr William Yaw Brown, ADRA Country Director, expressed appreciation to the EU and ADRA UK for funding the project, which had made a significant impact on cashew production in the project beneficiary districts.
“The project implementation has made a lot of progress in the cashew value chain and all actors are now active,” he said and expressed gratitude to the various Districts Assemblies, Agriculture Directorates as well as Agriculture Extension Agents for their support in making the project a success.
Dr Brown said the project developed Pest and Disease Control as well as Climate Change Strategy for Cashew Farmers’ manuals and advised the farmers to study and apply the content of the manuals to improve quality yields.
Dr Anthony A. Mainoo, the Project Manager, said the project integrated beekeeping and cashew production to provide alternative livelihoods to the farmers.
He said farmers were provided with bee hikes and asked them to pick up with the beekeeping to enhance their livelihoods.
GNA