The Ministry and Food and Agriculture (MOFA) yesterday received several quantities of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and other sanitary items for distribution to cashew farmers to help curb the spread of the coronavirus disease.
The items, donated by the German Development Corporation (GIZ), included 100 veronica buckets and stands, 98 bottles of liquid soap, 100 disposable gloves, 30 face masks, 100 dustbins and 100 pieces of hand sanitisers.
The Country Director of GIZ, Ms Regina Bauerochse Barbosa who handed over the items, said the donation was under ComCashew, a regional cashew project, ongoing in six African countries.
The donation, she said, was aimed at helping some deprived cashew growing communities during the pandemic in addition to capacity building and other supports to boost the sub-sector.
She said the GIZ-ComCashew had contributed to the growth of the sector and would continue the gesture by giving diverse assistance to sustain cashew value chain and increase its competitiveness.
“Our end goal is to contribute towards strengthening the African Cashew Sector to reduce poverty”, she said.
Minister of State in charge of Food and Agriculture, Dr Nurah Gyiele who received the items on behalf of the government, commended GIZ for the assistance and testified of how it would help the fight against the virus.
Mr Philipp Stalder, the Swiss Ambassador to Ghana, Togo, Benin said although the pandemic had brought destructions there were opportunities to be harnessed for socio-economic development, saying, “Never miss a good crisis.”
According to him, “ if COVID -19 has anything good for us then perhaps it is the recognition and reminder to all of us that only thorough constant reforms , strengthening of competitiveness, innovation and offering of trainings that the lives of our people and our farmers can be improved. “
BY GLORIA NSIAH MINTAH
