Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) Ahafo Mine has completed the first part of the second phase of its Agricultural Improvement and Land Access Programme (AILAP) aimed at assisting farmers affected by its operations.
The multinational mining company within the first part spent more than GH¢160,000 covering farm inputs and distribution as well as land access, clearance and maintenance fees on the beneficiary farmers.
Mr Dan Michaelsen, General Manager, Environment and Social Responsibility of NGGL, said at an open day to showcase some of the food
produce of the beneficiaries at Kenyase Number One on Tuesday that the Company had also spent GH¢ 1.5 million on its Ahafo Agribusiness Growth Initiative (AGGI).
AGGI and AILAP are programmes designed by the company to assist in re-establishing agricultural based livelihoods and also to increase agricultural productivity, crop diversity and market access.
Mr Michaelsen announced that in the first phase of AILAP in Ahafo farmers benefited from a number of projects at a cost of more than GH¢
1,000,000.
He gave the assurance that the Company would continue to work for the development of communities directly affected by the Mine through sustainable activities to improve their well-being.
"There is the need to stimulate economic growth and improve the livelihoods of Ahafo communities by strengthening basic agricultural
productivity and linking programme communities to agricultural supply chains as well as regional and national markets", Mr Michaelsen said.
Dr Ayesha Hakeem, Managing Director of African Connections, a consulting firm and implementers of AILAP and AGGI, said it was only when productivity was market-driven that it could truly deliver greater profits.
She emphasized the need to ensure that the farmers "think like businessmen and businesswomen and make sure they produce to market specifications and link their productivity to market demands.
"AGGI farmers are making significant progress in their agricultural activities", Dr Hakeem said adding that chili pepper, soyabeans, ginger and
plantain were some of the crops the AGGI programme produced.