Dormaa East Assembly distributes 20,000 coconut seedlings to farmers
The Dormaa East District Assembly in the Bono Region has distributed 20,000 hybrid coconut seedlings to some farmers at Nsesresu, in the district, under the government’s Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) programme.
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Already, the assembly had supported the nursing of 12,000 coconut seedlings at the Nsesresu nursing site and an additional 8,000 seedlings at the Merefrewuo nursery site in the district.
Making the presentation at a short ceremony, the District Chief Executive, Emmanuel Kofi Agyemang, advised the beneficiary farmers not to sell the seedlings but plant them to ensure that the programme was successful, sustained and inure to their benefit.
He said the assembly, and by extension the government was spending much on the PERD programme and implored the farmers to help make value of the coconut seedlings, indicating that between 2018 and 2021, the assembly had distributed more than one million cashew seedlings to farmers in the area.
Poverty alleviation
The PERD programme, Mr Agyemang explained, was an initiative being implemented by the government to alleviate poverty and improve the socio-economic livelihoods of farmers, and commended them for embracing the programme.
He said the cashew sector value chain had seen tremendous growth and development over the years, stressing cashew buyers in the area had increased from 20 in 2017 to more than 120 buyers in 2024, thereby creating employment and stimulating economic growth.
Giving an update on the construction of a dam and canopy walkway in the Nsesresu community, Mr Agyemang said work on the project was progressing, stating that the contractor had assured that work would be completed and handed over before the end of May.
“The contractor is now waiting for the pillars to dry so that concrete works to erect the canopy would also begin,” he explained.
Value addition
The Mawarehene of the Dormaa Traditional Area, Barimah Effiriti Sampon-Siaw, appealed to the farmers to consider the process of adding value to their produce, instead of focusing only on producing raw materials.
He urged the unemployed in the area to take advantage of the PERD programme and engage in cashew and coconut production to better their lot.
The Dormaa East District Director of Agriculture, Mr Gordon Tuah, took the farmers through the proper method of planting and urged them to seek the services of the Extension Officers to improve their farm work. — GNA