AMA adopts new plan to promote agriculture

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has outlined strategies to promote backyard gardening, poultry and rabbit production in the Accra Metropolis.

The strategy would rejuvenate the spirit of farming on lands around Korle Bu, Dzorwulu, and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) areas in Accra.

Dr. Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) announced this at the ordinary meeting of the first session of the Assembly.

He said the AMA would assist 400 households to produce selected vegetables such as pepper, tomatoes and garden-eggs; and another 200 households to go into backyard yard plantain production.

Dr Oko Vanderpuije said the AMA would provide 300 plastic pots and 50 wooden boxes to 150 households for vegetable production, adding that “seedlings and 600 plantlets would be provided to selected households in the metropolis.”

He said training in basic crop management practices would also be carried out for farmers in all the sub-metros in Accra.

In poultry production, Dr. Vanderpuije said the AMA would assist 40 households in each sub-metro to achieve animal protein self-sufficiency, and “a two-tier poultry battery cages, each with the capacity of 100 birds would be provided to farmers in the metropolis.”

He said training would also be provided to farmers on various husbandry practices to enhance their production capacity, whilst 4,000 six-week old brooded pullets would be reared and sold to beneficiaries.

Dr. Vanderpuije disclosed that on rabbit production, the AMA would assist 50 households in each sub-metro to help achieve animal protein self-sufficiency.

“Fifty-two-tier rabbit hutches, each tier made up of three rooms would be provided to beneficiaries, while 150 young rabbits, 50 bucks, would be distributed to beneficiaries in each sub-metro,” he explained.

He said the AMA was distributing 120 outboard motors, premix fuel and fishing inputs to fishermen.

The MCE tasked all assembly members to monitor the innovative programmes in their respective communities to achieve the desired results.