By Mildred Siabi-Mensah
Takoradi, April 16, GNA – The second phase of the Planting for Food and Jobs in the Western Region would give a boost to agro-processing as a means of improving the agricultural value chain.
This is also to ensure that food crops produced from the programme did not go to waste through post-harvest losses as many small and medium processing companies would be resourced to maximise the use of PJF end products.
The Western Regional Minister, Mr. Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah told the Ghana News Agency in an interview that the various District Assemblies were working with farmers to make funds or processing equipment available to them to increase profitability in the value chain.
The Western Region, vested with many arable lands, is home to coconut, cocoa, rubber, palm trees production aside from plantain, cassava, cocoa, potatoes, maize, tomatoes, pepper, okro, garden eggs and others crops.
Mr. Darko-Mensah said the Youth were the focus of the second phase in the Region to empower them economically.
He said enterprising the Region was the key pillar which could be achieved through greater private sector involvement with the youth as backbone for growth.
The Western Regional Minister encouraged the many unemployed Youth in the Region to take advantage of the project to change or improve their living conditions.
GNA