But suffice it to say that we have met
clearly the objectives and the targets that were set in these two projects. These are two different but complementary projects.
The Afram Plains District Agricultural Development Project is a US$32.5 million project funded by the African Develop-ment Bank. The Millennium Challenge Account is funded by the American Government with its own organisational structure for implementing their programmes.
From the interventions under the Afram Plains Agricultural Development Project, more than 12,504 farm families have directly benefited and all project communities have benefited immensely through dissemination of knowledge in good agricultural practices, increased output in food production, enhanced food security, improved environmental management through increased forest resource conservation.
To be more specific, Madam Speaker, so far 726 farmer groups comprising 12,245 farmers have been formed and received a number of various training and support in promoting agricultural production in the district. Forty-five community extension volunteers have been trained and equipped to beef up extension delivery in the district.
Women Groups in Agyata, Kayera, Mafi Kofe and Dedeso involved in cassava processing were trained to improve the quality and shelf life of kokonte and agbelima for increased income. A total number of six women groups with a total membership of 255 (198 women), received training in post-harvest management of cassava processing and packaging of the products.
Madam Speaker, the construction of 20 new junior staff quarters, 12 new
senior staff bungalows and the renovation and extension of the office of the district are meant to improve extension services delivery in the district.
The project is, therefore, providing temporal employment for about 5,000 farm hands in maize, cashew, yam, cassava and fish production.
About 350,000 seasonal jobs are also being created in the district through construction, haulage and many more.
There is an increase of patronage on service and facilities, especially hotel accommodation, catering services and ferry services due to these project interventions.
All these project interventions, no doubt, have greatly improved the lot of the people of the Kwahu North District in terms of food security and income generation leading to poverty eradication or reduction.
Madam Speaker, with regard to the Millennium Challenge Account Project, the following achievements have been gained and the impact can be inferred from there:
428 Farm-Based Organisations (FBOs) out of targeted 600 FBOs have participated in MiDA training programmes conducted by 14 Ghanaian technical and training service providers.
Tra in ing consis ts of Group Organization and Business Action Plans (BAPs) development (stage 1 training) and good agricultural technologies training (stage 2 training).
A total of about 20,500 farmers out of a target of 30,000 have been
classified as trained to-date.
Madam Speaker, each of the 7,112 farmers trained in phase 1 training received a $230 starter pack value comprising fertilizer, improved seed, field boots, nose mask, poly- sacks (hermetic bags), and land preparation cash for cultivating one acre equivalent of maize.
Starter pack for 13,187 farmers in 279 FBOs to be distributed by March 2010.
Starter pack valued at $4.70 million would have been distributed by March 2010.
With projected yield of 120 kg acre of maize, it is expected that 15,000 metric tonnes of maize will be available for sale in the value chain.
42 value chain workshops have been held since December, 2008 bringing actors and major drivers of the six- crop value chains together to discuss common concerns, brainstorm and develop action plans.
Direct linkages established between major produce buyers and FBOs - Pepper producers at Akwasiho have been linked to five companies.
Yam exporters have been linked to yam FBOs in Kwahu North.
Ongoing linkages have been forged between maize FBOs and institutions (secondary schools, large maize buyers).
Madam Speaker, as a result of various training and capacity building pro- grammes, the farming groups have been impacted upon and earned some benefits as follows:
Happy Farmers Association at Miaso in the Kwahu South, producer
of maize, has won a contract to produce about 180 tonnes (1,800 maxi bags) of maize to four senior high schools in the district.
13 Plantain producing FBOs in the Fanteakwa District have been linked to Akosua Amankwa Enterprise (this is a plantain exporter with a UK-end market). 2 FBOs, Christian Farmers Group and Mautsor Farmers Association, began selling to the exporter this month (November
2009).
Asikam Farmers Association and Michael & Co. Farmers at Kotoso are producing and selling okra to Whytebage International (a vegetable exporter).
66 out of 150 FBOs, that is almost 44 per cent of the target group that applied for the loan facility have had their business plans approved by the Project Finance Institutions (PFIs) at end of September 2009 --
Total Credit Requested:
GH¢21,115,762.89
Total Credit Approved:
GH¢ 8,877,048.48
Total Credit Disbursed:
GH¢ 2,302,812.07
FBOs are actively encouraged to plough back the proceeds from starter pack.
Madam Speaker, women groups in
Agyata, Kayera, Mafi Kofe and Dedeso involved in cassava processing were trained to improve the quality and shelf life of kokonte and agbelima for increased income. A total of six women groups with the total membership of 255 have received
