Director for Agriculture in the Nkwanta South Municipality of the Volta Region, Mr. Cephas Akai has asked youth in the area to engage in cashew cultivation to enhance their livelihood.

According to him, the prospects of cashew cultivation surpass those of cocoa saying, cashew has a potential to accelerate the country’s economic growth.

This he said informed government’s decision to invest into cashew to increase production since cashew is identified as the ‘savanna cocoa’ which would contribute to increased foreign exchange for the country.

Mr. Akai made this known during the distribution of cashew seedlings to 600 farmers who applied and met the requirements in the Municipality.

Government under its Planting for Export and Rural Development is distributing cashew seedlings to interested farmers across the country.

Mr. Akai added that farmers who have received the seedlings would be enlightened on how to maintain the farm for good yields and assured of constant monitoring by technical officers to ensure success of the project.

Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), John Thasun, noted that the initiative by the government would create job opportunities and encouraged Ghanaians to venture into the agriculture sector.

He called on all to embrace the cashew programme to make available enough raw materials to propel government’s industrialization objective being implemented through the one district- one factory (1D1F) programme.

A farmer, Amenyo Batholomio thanked government for the free seedlings and appealed for farming equipment for the success of the project.

Madam Diana Kpolah, also a farmer encouraged colleague females to take advantage of the project to support their families and take care of their children’s education.

By: Obrempongba K. Owusu/voltaonlinegh.com