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Vitamin ‘A’ maize varieties to be introduced in School Feeding Program


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School Feeding-Maize

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By
Eunice Tekie Tei, GNA

Atebubu (BE), July 20, GNA – Dr Patricia P.
Acheampong, a Senior Research Scientist at the Crop Research Institute under
the Council For Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-CRI), has said plans
are advanced to introduce the yellow and orange maize varieties into the School
Feeding Programme.

She said government’s objective in
introducing the school feeding programme is to ensure that children eat locally
produced nutritious meals, hence the introduction of the yellow and orange
maize varieties as they are rich in micro- nutrients.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News
Agency at Atebubu in the Bono East Region, she said CSIR-CRI is working with
the World Food Program, a United Nations Frontline Agency to ensure the success
of the program.

Dr Acheampong said with the implementation
of the Enhanced Nutrition and Value Chains (ENVAC) project, CRI is putting in
place measures to ensure that more farmers embrace the cultivation of the new
yellow and orange maize varieties.

The Agricultural Economist said many of the
schools in the targeted communities have accepted to include the Vitamin ‘A’
maize in the Feeding Program on pilot basis adding that so far, ten schools
have responded positively.

Some of the communities that have accepted
to plant the new maize varieties include Busunya in Nkoranza North
Municipality, Mesidan in Techiman North and Sallamkrom, all in the Bono East
Region, Bayere Nkwanta, Kobriti and Adwiwan all in the Ashanti Region.

Dr Acheampong said 30 kilogram of orange
maize seed have so far been supplied to Kobriti community to begin a farm
trials.

She called on farmers to plant the Vitamin
‘A’ maize varieties on a large scale as the success of the entire effort would
depend on this.

GNA


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