The Volta Regional Minister, Mr James Gunu, has assured coffee farmers in the region of government’s commitment to reviving the abandoned coffee factory built by the first President, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, at Hohoe to resuscitate coffee production in the region for job creation and transformation of agriculture in the region.

Mr Gunu said the government’s determination to revive coffee production in the region was strategic for coffee farmers to embark on commercial farming to feed the factory, which he stressed would definitely make coffee cultivation more attractive to farmers and also attract the youth into farming.

The Regional Minister gave the assurance when coffee farmers from Ziavi traditional area in the Ho Municipality called on him to solicit the support of government and investors in coffee production at Ziavi and the Volta Region, and also to make coffee farming economically viable.

He stated that coffee produced at Ziavi had a special taste that could market the Volta Region Ziavitutui coffee as a special brand of coffee to the local and the international market.

Mr Gunu noted that the Ziavi coffee would soon be sent to foreign missions, which would expose the Region to investors and saying, “if you need coffee with special taste, it is only found at Ziavi in the Volta Region.’’

He further revealed that foreign investors had already visited Ziavi and the Volta Region and explored for possible investment in coffee production, and pointed out that the future of coffee production at Ziavi and the region remained bright, adding that the Volta Regional Coordinating Council (VRCC) would support coffee farmers to succeed.

The Minister also observed that coffee farming was capital intensive, needed to employ technology particularly during harvest period, and said harvesting machines were needed to ensure effectiveness, and also urged Ziavitutui coffee farmers to ensure that packaging of their products would meet international standards.

Additionally, he stressed the need for Ziavitutui coffee to be provided at all hotels in the region, particularly the capital, Ho, and served at public functions as a form of marketing the coffee to the local and international guests who visit the region.

Mr Gunu announced that the VRCC was establishing an industrial park to promote economic activities in the region, and the Ghana Export Promotion Council (GEPC) would be contacted to ensure that the government’s flagship programme ‘24 hour economy’ would start in the region.

The Volta Regional Director of Food and Agriculture (FA), Mr William Dzamefe, indicated that plans were far advanced to recover the coffee and cocoa production in the region, stressing that coffee and cocoa farming would be restored in the region for the economic growth of the area and the country in general.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Original Ziavitutui, Mr Benjamin Norlali Kofi Atidjah, underscored the need for the government to include coffee as a tree crop to promote its production in the country, which had the potential of attracting the youth into agriculture and reducing youth unemployment.

Mr Atidjah said coffee production could not be left in private hands as a country, since it served the interest of many but could not be produced to meet the high demand, adding that Ghanaian residents abroad specially order for Ziavitutui coffee.

The CEO again highlighted that the nutritional value of coffee could not be overemphasised, and appealed to the government to promote coffee production at Ziavi and the Volta Region and Ghana in general for people to derive maximum benefit.