Upper West Minister inspects 40-acre prison farm under PFJs

By
Sambiru Duut Elijah, GNA

Baayiri (UWR), Sept.
29, GNA – The Upper West Regional Minister, Alhaji Alhansan Sulemana, on Friday
inspected a 40-acre prison inmates’ farm at Baayiri in the Wa East District.

The visit was under
the auspices of the Food and Agriculture Minister, Dr Owusu Afriyie, and sought
to find out how the farm was faring under the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ).

Alhaji Suleman said he
was impressed with the project and pledged government’s support to the Prison
Service, saying the project would be extended next season to cover senior high
schools, the Police Service and other state institutions.

He assured of
government’s support towards institutions that would like to venture into
projects like PFJ and One District One Ware House to facilitate farming
activities.

The 40-acre maize farm
received funding and support from the National Youth Authority (NYA) and the
PFJ.

Mr Samuel Sasu Yeboah,
the Regional Director of Agriculture, said the farm was attacked by fall army
worm but officials responded swiftly to tame it, paving way for better crop
performance.

He added that the
crops would be ready for harvest soon and predicted a good harvest of a minimum
of 15 maxi bags per acre and maximum of 18 maxi bags per acre.

Mr Mumuni Sulemana,
the Upper West Regional Director of NYA, said through the Youth in Agric
Entrepreneurship programme, the Authority had carried out a pilot project to
providing support to youth groups in selected communities covering 130 acre
farm with maize being the major crop.

There are 10 acre
maize farms each in Goyiri, Siiri-Yiri, Busa, Foensi, Kyalon, Ga, Kpari, and 20
acre cowpea farm at Navariwie among other beneficiary communities. 

He said the pilot
projects were yielding good results and promised to extend the programme to all
youth groups who would like to go into farming as a business.

GNA

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