COCOFeG Distributes 83,000 Coconut Seedlings to Farmers in Nkoranza Municipality

Accra: The Coconut Federation of Ghana (COCOFeG) has distributed 83,000 hybrid coconut seedlings to the Nkoranza South Municipal Directorate of Agriculture, facilitating support for 570 farmers in the Bono East Region. This initiative is part of the Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness (PIAA), which aims to boost the nation's agribusiness sector and expand the economy.According to Ghana News Agency, the PIAA was launched by President John Dramani Mahama with the support of the Ghana Exim Bank. The initiative aims to create job opportunities through various stages of the coconut industry, including nurseries, cultivation, harvesting, vending, processing, and export.Mr. Joseph Adu-Parko, an Extension Officer at the Nkoranza Municipal Directorate of Agriculture, shared that 40 percent of the beneficiaries of this initiative are female farmers aged between 20 and 70. These farmers include individuals from diverse occupations such as teachers, health workers, security officers, and other go vernment employees who are engaged in coconut farming.Mrs. Gifty Fremah Appiah, the Nkoranza South Municipal Director of Agriculture, lauded the PIAA for its potential to rejuvenate the coconut sector, thereby fostering job creation and reducing poverty. She emphasized the need for government support to equip extension officers with resources to guide farmers effectively.Mrs. Appiah further mentioned that nearly every household in the municipality has benefited from the seedling distribution. She appealed for motorbikes to aid extension officers in monitoring the program's implementation comprehensively.Farmers who benefited from the initiative expressed their appreciation. Mr. Johnson Effah, a coconut farmer from Donkor-Nkwanta, praised the government for the PIAA, highlighting its potential to attract youth to the coconut sector. Similarly, Madam Rose, a farmer from Ekumsa-Odumase, spoke about the lucrative nature of the coconut business and encouraged unemployed youth to engage in commercial coconut farming.Mr. Yaw Sikayena, a 65-year-old farmer, also commended the government, noting the year-round benefits of coconut farming and the positive impact of the support provided through the initiative.