The gesture, which was in partnership with the Agricultural Department of the assembly, forms part of the second phase of the government’s flagship programme, Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ).

It is also to support both male and female farmers in the municipality to overcome their difficulties and increase the production of food crops such as maize and cassava among others.

That will ensure food sustainability, not only in the area but also for sale in neighbouring districts and municipalities in the region.

Presenting the products to the beneficiaries on the premises of the assembly at Kukurantumi last Monday, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Alhaji Umar Baba Bodinga, said since about 70 per cent of the residents in the area were farmers cultivating various food crops, it was necessary for the government to offer them support in the form of fertiliser and improved maize seeds.

Subsistence

Alhaji Bodinga said the municipality was focused on championing food production and that the items given to them would enable them to increase their farm sizes to produce more instead of cultivating at subsistence level with low yields.

He explained that the gesture would boost the local economy and at the same time make it possible to send excess food crops to markets in towns in the neighbouring municipalities and districts.

He said it would also enable the farmers to generate appreciable incomes to fend for themselves, families and other dependents.

The MCE, who was happy that the youth in the area had embraced agriculture, appealed to the chiefs and land owners to make available land to anybody interested in food production, especially the youth, so that they would be able to go into agriculture without hindrance.

Alhaji Bodinga pointed out that the acquisition of land for farming had been the major challenge in the area.

Giving out the modalities for the distribution of the items, the MCE said each of the farmers would be entitled to two bags of the fertiliser and a 10kg weight of the improved maize seeds.

He told the beneficiaries that the assembly would closely monitor them to ensure proper use of the items and that more of the items would follow in due course to cover other farmers.

A female farmer from Akyem Atukrom, Hannah Ibrahim, who told the Daily Graphic that she would immediately apply the fertiliser and plant the maize seeds was full of appreciation to the government and the assembly.

Another farmer from Akyem Tontro, William Asante, said the improved maize seeds given to him would enable him to plant on the land he had cleared, adding that clearing the land without getting maize seeds to plant would be a wasteful venture.