The Member of Parliament for Prestea Huni-valley Constituency who doubles as the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Barbara Oteng Gyasi, has donated items worth over GH¢ 50,000.00 to cocoa farmers within the municipality.

The items included 60 knapsack spraying machines and 100 wellington boats.

Making the presentation on Sunday 5th August, 2018 at her residence at Huni-valley, Hon. Barbara Oteng Gyasi said her presentation was in fulfillment of her pledge to support farming in the constituency with the needed financial strength and logistics to improve their standard of living.

She described the cocoa sector as the backbone of the economy and enumerated its tremendous contribution towards infrastructural development of the country.

She further stressed government’s initiative of “Planting for Food and Jobs” which is creating employment for the youth and the re-introduction of the pollination and gang spraying program, assuring the farmers of equal benefits towards boosting cocoa production.

She urged farmers to observe all the requisite practices to enable them reap the benefits of their work to improve their livelihoods.

Hon. Oteng Gyasi advised the beneficiaries to manage the machines properly and “adopt good cultural practices such as periodical maintenance of these machines”.

Mr. Johnson Asante, an Extension Coordinator at the District Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) advised the farmers to always get their chemicals from the approved source and agents so as not to use the wrong chemicals which can destroy their cocoa seedlings.

The District Chief farmer, Mr Thomas Nana Boakye who received the items on behalf of his colleagues thanked the MP for the kind gesture and asked for more of such assistance for farmers to live meaningful lives.

The occasion also offered the farmers an opportunity to seek professional advice from agricultural extension agents.

Source: peacefmonline.com