ADB OFFICIALS STUDY ORGANIC FARM PLANTATION (PAGE 40)

OFFICIALS of the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) have paid a working visit to the Dolan-Ayana organic farm plantation at Pong-Tamale in the Savelugu/Nanton District of the Northern Region to learn at first hand the management practices at the farm.
The visit was, among other reasons, aimed at replicating the good management practices on the farm onto the bank’s funded organic mango plantation project in other parts of the region.
The three-man team was led by the Deputy Managing Director (MD) of the bank, Mr Alex Owusu-Ansah. The rest were the Area Manager of the ADB in Tamale, Mr Kwaku Anane-Acheampong, and the Co-ordinator of the bank’s mangoes project, Mr Paul Seidu.
The director of the plantations, Alhaji Yakubu Ayana, conducted the team round the 120-acre farm where he later briefed them on the prospects and challenges involved in organic farming.
He said at the moment, there was high demand for the organic mangoes outside the country as a result of its high nutritional value, ‘‘and even internally, most Ghanaians are developing the taste for it.’’
Alhaji Ayana said currently, the company had employed 39 farm hands and supervisors, adding that, it intended to expand the acreage in the near future.
He said the company was also helping to protect river bodies in its catchment area by planting trees along the Black Volta at Nabogu.
‘‘We also have plans of establishing a processing plant on the farm where the mangoes would be processed and packaged to attract the needed market, home and abroad,’’ the director stated.
According to him, work on the accommodation and offices that had been suspended for some time, would commence in due course.
Alhaji Ayana , however, expressed concern about the capital intensive nature of the project and appealed for support to enable them to carry their vision through.
He noted that the successful maintenance of the farm, especially during the harmattan season, was expensive as the plants had to be constantly watered.
Alhaji Ayana, a native of Tamale who also trades in and exports sheanut, is engaged in estate development and a popular Hajj agent, as well as a philanthropist.
The deputy MD commended Alhaji Ayana for the efficient management of the farm, and urged him to carry on with his vision, which he observed, conformed to the programme of the bank to encourage more farmers to go into that venture.
He stated that the bank’s pilot mango project in the three northern regions was to engage the youth and also help improve on the lot of farmers in the area.
He cited for instance that, under the project, a total of 120-acres of organic mangoes had so far been cultivated at Zabzugu in the Zabzugu/Tatale District and Mangoli, near Tamale, in the Northern Region.
Mr Owusu-Ansah said in all, 500 acres would be cultivated in the region and that, the farmers had been organised into groups and received training to improve on their output to enable them to benefit from their toils.
‘‘The project was started last year; and this year, we intend to extend it to both the Upper East and Upper West regions, and when successful, would be replicated elsewhere,’’ the director announced.
‘‘We also have plans to add value to the products that would be processed and exported to conserve foreign exchange,’’ Mr Owusu-Ansah stated.