E/R: Farmers Take Delivery of 35,000 Coconut Seedlings From Abuakwa North Municipal Assembly

Honourable Umar Babs Bodinga led Abuakwa North Municipal Assembly, in the Eastern Region of Ghana, through the Municipal Agricultural Department has presented thirty-five thousand (35,000) coconut seedlings to close to seven hundred (700) verified farmers in the Municipality on 2nd November, 2023 at the premises of the Municipal Assembly.

He explained that, the gesture is aimed at improving the socio-economic development of the enclave and the country as a whole through agriculture and added that, the quest to plant the cash crop (coconut) after the previous phases were welcoming, he therefore, assures the farmers that, the assembly placed a demand of one hundred and fifty thousand (150,000 ) seedlings and admonished all who are interested to register with the Department of Agric to subscribe to future distributions.


According to Honourable Alhaji Umar Babs Bodinga, after testing the soil in Abuakwa North Municipality, it was advised that, coconut and oil palm cultivation will best suit hence the decision to distribute the seedlings to the farmers for cultivation, sourcing from Minerals Commission and the Ministry of Agriculture.



He added that, the Municipal Assembly is targeting a coconut and palm oil extraction factory as part of the One District One Factory (1D1F) policy therefore, availability of raw materials must be assured.



The astute Municipal Chief Executive admonished the youth to embrace agriculture to raise their living standards and shun all social vices which will lead them astray thereby making them nuisance in their respective communities.



He thanked the president, Nana Akufo-Addo and his administration for their immense contributions towards nation building especially in the field of agriculture and emphasized that, a team from the Municipal Assembly and the Department of Agriculture will visit each beneficiary for supervision after three (3) months of planting.

Mr Anthony Nartey, Municipal Director of Agric Department, after receiving the seedlings, thanked the president and the Municipal Assembly for their continuous support to agriculture and posited that, the farmers will start harvesting their coconuts by four years after planting.

He further pledged their support to the farmers to get the desired results during and after planting.

Some of the farmers expressed their profound gratitude to the government and the assembly adding that, their livelihoods are going to change positively with the initiative.

They further called on government to not relent in it's efforts in ensuring agricultural development for economic growth of the country.

Also present at the presentation were, Mr Emil Tawiah Atsu, Municipal Coordinating Director, Mr Stephen Osei-Wusu, Director of National Disaster Management Organization, some selected staff from the Assembly and the press.

It could be recalled that, in 2021 and 2022 some farmers benefited from same initiative adding up to about eight hundred and fifty (850) in 2023.

Credit: Nana Kwasi Asare.