In an effort to improve and boost the agriculture base of the Kwahu East District of the Eastern region, farmers are to benefit from free cocoa seedlings distribution from the District Assembly for planting in the 2019 crop season.

The District Assembly is to distribute fifty thousand (50,000) quality and high yielding cocoa seedlings to farmers across the district to enhance cocoa production in the area.

The free cocoa seedlings distribution is in line to support the government of Ghana’s flagship programme dubbed “Planting for Export and Development (PERD) under the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) of which cocoa is an integral crop in the implementation of the programme.

Speaking with the media in Kwahu Abetifi, the District Chief Executive Hon. Isaac Agyapong said the cocoa seedlings project is the vision of the Assembly to support the farmers across the district to expand, develop and rejuvenate their old cocoa farms to boost the internally generated revenue of the district.

Cocoa is a key crop cultivated by the gallant farmers in the district and supporting them with viable and high yielding seedlings at no cost is an incentive to encourage more people into the agriculture sector and to add up to the district funds for development – Hon. Isaac Agyapong said.

The beneficiaries of the free distribution of the cocoa seedlings would also benefit from free modern trends, skills and management of their cocoa farms through the District Department of Agriculture to enhance and improve the farm’s productivity. Cocoa production has the potential to create jobs and also help expand income generated qualities for all farmers who cultivate it.

The District Chief Executive urged the teeming unemployed youth and the indigenes of the Kwahu East district to involve themselves in the various agriculture policies outlined by the government so far to create jobs and some considerable income for their living.

Hon. Isaac Agyapong also said “The government of Ghana is committed to enhance a better economic standard of living for all citizens and this has been through various programmes and we must all take them seriously and become the greater beneficiaries”.