12,000 Bono Regional farmers receive 1.3 million seedlings under PERD - MoFA  

The Bono Regional Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) nursed and distributed 1,303,806 seedlings to 12,414 farmers in the region under the government’s Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) Programme in 2020.

    The beneficiary farmers registered under the programme comprised 8,338 males and 4,076 females, spread across the region.

    Mr Dennis Abugri Amenga, the Bono Regional Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) who disclosed this said the seedlings consisted of 1,293,990 cashew, 4,816 coconuts, 3,000 oil-palm and 2,000 mango seedlings.

    Giving a regional update of the PERD in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, Mr Amenga explained the farmers established 13,022 hectares of plantation, saying the nursery sites were decentralised to reach the farmers quickly.

    This year, he added, the Directorate had raised and distributed 240,000 seedlings, consisting of 230,000 cashew and 10,000 mangoes (supported by the Tree Crop Development Authority) to a total of 2,399 farmers, comprising 1,951 males and 448 females.

    With support from key collaborators - the Ghana Productivity Net Programme (GPSNP) and the International Organisation on Migration on (IOM), the Directorate had also distributed 495,994 cashew seedlings to 3,394 farmers, mostly in Dormaa East, Tain and Banda Districts, and Wenchi Municipality.

     On the Rearing for Food and Job (RFJ) sector, Mr. Amenga said 3,810 cockerels were supplied in 2019/2020 among 353 livestock farmers, comprising 233 males and 119 females.

     He said 500 beneficiaries were selected from Berekum West, Tain and Banda Districts and Jaman South Municipality, while 310 of them were spread across Dormaa West and 1,500 across the Jaman North Districts.

    Mr Amenga, however, added 200 piggery beneficiaries under the programme were yet to receive their pigs.

    Under the Mechanization module, the Regional Director indicated four tractors, 20 power tillers, 40 motorised sprayers, and 12 irrigation kits with powered engines had been provided in the Dormaa West and Dormaa East Districts.

    In addition, 45 rice reapers and 37 multi-crop threshers had been provided in Jaman South, Sunyani West and Sunyani Municipalities, as well as Berekum West and Tain Districts.

    Mr Amenga stressed the implementation of the RFJ and the Planting for Food and Jobs (PfFJs) were progressing and advised farmers in the region, yet to register to do so to benefit, improve their farm work and enhance the region’s food security as well.