The Department of Agriculture in the Asutifi North district has distributed a total of 111,000 tree seedlings to farmers in the district from January to June this year.
Mr Paul Boakye, the District Director of the Department, in an interview with the Ghanaian Times on Friday at Kenyasi in the Ahafo Region, said the seedlings included 25,000 economic trees and 86,000 oil palm.
The director noted that the department had earlier distributed 30,000 oil palm, 63,000 cashew, 3,000 coconut and 20,000 economic trees summing up to 116,000 seedlings in last year.
“In 2020 alone, we distributed 40,000 oil palm, 3,000 coconut and 50,000 cashew seedlings making 93,000”, he disclosed.
Mr Boakye stated that the seedlings were shared to farmers in Gambia, Ntotroso, Kramokrom, Goamu Camp, Koforidua, Kenyasi, Tutuka, Obengkrom, Amomaso, Bogyampa, Donkorkrom and other distribution centers across the district.
The director indicated that the seedlings were nursed at the various centers which were nearer to the farms, for easy access and proper transportation.
He re-echoed that it was the mission of the department to promote agriculture development by providing framework, public investment, and support services needed for domestic and export-oriented business enterprises.
Mr Boakye expressed gratitude to the Asutifi North District Chief Executive (DCE), Anthony Mensah, traditional authorities, Religious leaders, Assembly Members and other stakeholders for supporting the activities of the department.
The District Extension Officer, Anthony Omari-Mensah, said the department taught the farmers planting, spacing, application of pesticides among other good agronomic practices, to ensure good yield of the crops.
Mr Omari-Mensah disclosed that Extension Officers in the Asutifi North district visited the various farms to monitor the farmers on adherence to expert advice saying that our farmers have cooperated with us.
A beneficiary, Obaapanin Yaa Kyeraa, on behalf of the farmers, thanked the department and the assembly, for the free distribution of seedlings and inputs adding that farming has been my only source of livelihood.
FROM EMMANUEL ADU GYAMFI, KENYASI
