ATEBUBU-AMATIN ASSEMBLY GOES INTO RICE PRODUCTION (BACK PAGE, DEC 7)

THE Atebubu-Amantin District Assembly in the Brong Ahafo Region, in collaboration with Technoserve, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), and local farmers has embarked on rice production to boost food production to alleviate poverty.
Already 860 hectares of land have been set aside at Fakwasi, a farming community in the district, for the project.
Technoserve is providing technical assistance to the farmers, while the assembly is to be responsible for the irrigation of the demarcated land, as well as the supply of improved seeds and fertilisers for the cultivation of the farmers.
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Atebubu–Amantin, Mr Sanja Nanja, who made this known at the just-ended farmers day celebration held at Fakwasi, said the move was in line with the government’s agenda to modernise agriculture for food security and economic transformation.
For the successful implementation of the project, Mr Nanja said Technoserve had installed a rice miller at Fakwasi which had the capacity of milling and polishing at least six bags of rice per hour to save farmers from threshing the paddy rice.
A 50-year-old farmer at Fakwasi, Mr Leo Lige, was adjudged the overall best District Farmer, and for his prize, he received a motorbike, a pair of wellington boots, a wax print, a knapsack spraying machine and a radio cassette player.
Nana Mustapha Kofi, 37, of New Konkrompe and Dauda Issaka, 48, of Atebubu, who took the second and third positions respectively each received bicycles, three and two packets of roofing sheets, pairs of wellington boots, wax prints and radio cassette players.
Mr Nanja stated that apart from Fakwasi, other communities had been selected under the block farming for rice and maize production in the district and mentioned the beneficiary communities as Jato-Zongo, Patuda, Old Konkrompe, Abour, Namsa, Yapraso, Mempeasem, Nyomoase, Beposo and New Konkrompe.
He explained that under the programme, a tract of land was ploughed and demarcated to individual farmers, who were provided with improved seeds and other farm inputs such as fertilisers.
The farmers are made to pay for the cost of such inputs and services after harvesting their produce.
In addition to the maize and rice project, Mr Nanja stated that another programme for livestock production was also being implemented.