SEED MAIZE READY FOR 2ND PHASE OF PLANTING FOR FOOD & JOBS

Two farmers in the Ashanti region have been able to produce 700 metric tons of certified Seed Maize out of the projected one thousand metric tons of the crop in the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions during the first year of implementation of the government’s agricultural flagship initiative, Planting for Food and Jobs. 

The two are the PEE Farms and Bruckner Farms, both in the Ejura-Sekyedumase Municipality. Already, the Grains Development Board has approved of the quality of the Seed Maize produced by the two farmers as been good enough to supply participating farmers in this year’s phase of the programme. 

This came to light when journalists visited the two farms to learn at first hand, the production situation ahead of the next cropping season. 

The Ashanti region had a target of more than 20 thousand participating farmers in the first year of the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative which regional launch took place at Ejura a year ago. 

In the first phase of the programme, the participating farmers were to focus on maize, selected vegetables and soybeans. 

The programme was to create jobs and increase national food production. However, according to the Ashanti regional directorate of MOFA, less than the anticipated number of farmers took part in the programme while certain initial setbacks were also encountered by the farmers and the programme on the whole.

 However, the target for the production of Seed Maize which was one thousand metric tons, was realize with two out of three contracted farms in Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions producing 700 tons of the target.

 A visit to the premises of the PEE Farms owned by a former MP for Ejura, Mohammed Yusif Pangabu, showed a number of both young and old men and women processing the seed for the market.

The Situation was no different at the Bruckner Farms at Kobriti owned by a former MCE for Ejura, Madam Martha Bruckner. 

The workers, some of who spoke to Ashanti Today, expressed satisfaction with their remuneration which was 10 Ghana Cedis at the PEE Farms and 15 Ghana Cedis with lunch at the Bruckner Farms. 

In all, the two Farms are presently employing about 800 hands. 

The CEO of the PEE Farms, commended government for introducing the programmes and advised politicians to refrain from politicizing it.

On her part, Madam Martha Bruckner said she has support in the forms of subsidized production inputs from government which, she noted,  enabled her to increase her not only the acreage of the farm, but also the number of workers from 100 to 300.