The management of Abosso Gold Fields Limited (AGFL), a mining company operating at Damang, has, for the third time, extended a hand of support to 360 cocoa farmers in the Prestea-Huni Valley District of the Western Region with a total of 2,175 bags of fertiliser.
Aboso Gold Fields Ghana Limited, three years ago, instituted the Cocoa Input Support programme through its Gold Fields Foundation to support cocoa farmers in its host communities with bags of government approved fertilisers to aide their farming activities.
The initiative supports cocoa farmers in its host communities with bags of fertilisers every year. Speaking at this year’s support initiative, the Acting Community Affairs and Stakeholder Engagement Manager at Gold Fields (AGL), Maud Ofosua Ofori, explained to the beneficiaries that the initiative became necessary some three years ago, when they realised the significance of cocoa to their host communities and Ghana`s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“We began this three years ago to boost annual cocoa production in our host communities to help create and sustain employment in the area of cocoa production, and to establish the fact that mining could coexist with farming.”
She continued; “As a company, we want to see our catchment communities become major producers of cocoa,” hence, this initiative of extending a hand of support to the cocoa farmers. Municipal Director of Agriculture Gabriel Adjargo, on his part, urged the cocoa farmers to be innovative and adopt best farming practices to help increase production after receiving the fertilisers.
He said: “The level of farmers` profit is largely dependent on the level of the crop productivity, so after receiving today`s fertiliser, I encourage you to ensure good pruning, timely weeding, mistletoe removal, rationale pesticide application, and timely harvest.”
The Municipal Agric Director admitted that it was no hidden truth that the cocoa crop was faced with soil nutrient exhaustion and attacks by pests, which required regular attention and good agricultural practices.
He commended Gold Fields (AGL) for supporting the farmers, and urged the company to continue doing more for the farmers.
The Relieving General Manager of Abosso Gold Fields Limited, Charles Kofi Nti, urged all beneficiaries, including the new batch, to comply with the best farm management directives as given by the agriculture extension officers.
Kofi Nti told the beneficiary farmers that the mining company had committed about GH¢8.76 million of its resources to the development of the agricultural sector.
This ranges from livestock production to vegetables under the SEED programme.
He said, in 2019, 240 farmers benefited from the initiative, with each farmer benefiting receiving fertiliser supplies for a period of three years, after which another batch would be enrolled.
The post 2,175 Free bags of fertiliser for farmers appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
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