2,200 UNDERGO TRAINING IN PLANTAIN, GINGER PRODUCTION (Page 20)

Story: Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah, Ntotroso

TWO thousand two hundred people who have been affected by the operations of the Ahafo Mine of Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) in the Asutifi District in the Brong-Ahafo Region have undergone training in improved methods of the production of plantain, ginger, chilli pepper, maize, as well as the processing of gari and oil palm.
Out of the total, 500 of the farmers who have formed groups have been assisted to obtain micro credit in the form of farming inputs.
NGGL in collaboration with the Opportunities Industrialisation Centre International (OICI) and African Connection Ghana Limited, a Ghana-based consulting firm, has initiated three programmes with the aim of sustaining and improving upon the livelihood in the mining communities.
The programmes are the Agricultural Improvement and Land Access Programme, the Ahafo Agribusiness Growth Initiative and the Livelihoods Enhancement and Community Empowerment Programme.
In view of the success story of the various interventions, the NGGL has organised an Open Day to showcase some of the farmers’ produce.
In a welcoming address, the acting Superintendent incharge of Agricultural Improvement Programme at NGGL, Mr Duut Nelson, said the rationale for the open day was to provide a platform to put in the public domain the achievements since the inception of the various programmes.
“We have covered a significant ground in these programmes and we think it is important that we meet to take stock of what we have been doing and where it has brought us so far,” he said.
According to him, the event was also to remind the public of the commitment by NGGL to deliver improved agricultural practices, thereby making the Ahafo the food basket of Ghana, adding, “We are hopeful that this will provide us with the insight into the future direction of our endeavours.”
Mr Nelson said the company wanted to use the occasion to reflect the spirit of true partnership which the management demonstrated as a true mine of choice, and commended the beneficiaries for their hard work and dedication.
Dr Ayesha S. Hakeem, the Managing Director of African Connections, explained that her organisation designed and implemented training programmes for farmers to improve the quantity and quality of their produce to enable them to meet international marketing standards.
She said the overall objective of the project was to stimulate long-term economic growth and to improve the livelihoods of the communities of Ahafo.
Prizes were presented to those farmers whose farm produce were outstanding.