Green Gold Farms Ghana (GGF) has broken ground for the cultivation of soya beans on its 40,000-acre farm in Sakpei, a community in the Mion District of the Northern Region. The project is valued at US$ 20 million and is said to be one of the biggest in the region.
The project is expected to increase the production of soya beans for local consumption and also fulfill an Irrevocable Corporate Purchase Order (ICPO) with ARASA Investment Limited, a subsidiary of TIRYAKI AGRO, a Turkey-based multinational corporation with the production of 5,000 metric tons of non-GMO soya bean crop.
Speaking to the media after the groundbreaking ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer of GGF, Mr. George Boakye Sarpong said they have decided to invest in this kind of project in the north because of the availability of land that is arable and suitable.
He said it is also because of the climatic and soil conditions of the north which is conducive for soybean and maize production.
“We are delighted to have risen up to the occasion to make our contribution to boosting domestic food production to address the major vulnerabilities in Ghana’s food supply chain; vulnerabilities that have been further disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused massive food inflation.
We seek to bring down and stabilize food prices, create sustainable skilled jobs, and improve local communities and livelihoods while contributing to long term macroeconomic, social and political benefits to the nation” Mr. Sarpong stated.
Mr. Sarpong’s vision is to ensure that his company’s presence in the region will provide the needed support for farmers that want to go into the small scale and commercial soya bean cultivation.
He indicated that GGF is looking at expanding its footprint to other areas in the north.
“Because of high humidity down south, when you cultivate crop like maize, you run the risk of contamination with aflatoxins and other pests. However, over the relatively dry climate in the north reduces the risk of contamination and makes drying fairly cost-effective.
Madam Abibata Issah one of the beneficiaries said the introduction of commercial farming of soybeans in the area by the GGF will see farmers produce soybeans in large quantities for both profit and consumption.
She said it will also provide a ready market for the farmers that will go a long way to improve their livelihoods.
She added that the project if implemented well, will also lead to job creation because many people will be employed to provide services such as planting, harvesting, tractor services, and the rest.
Madam Abibata raised concerns about how they have been cheated by some buyers in the past and hope these unscrupulous activities will be curtailed by GGF.
The Project Coordinator in the community Mr. Ganiu Osman said they are keen to work with GGF and they had previously planned to go into soybean cultivation but have been unable to do so due to a lack of resources.
He said it is their prayer that the project succeeds because it will be to their benefit.
Mr. Osman hopes the project will provide them with agriculture extension services that will equip them with additional knowledge and best practices in farming.
About Green Gold Farms Ghana
Green Gold Farms Ghana (GGF) is an Accra-based agribusiness that seeks to create a vertically integrated farm by combining the production of cereal and grains, legumes and pulses, vegetables, livestock, feed formulation, and organic compost fertilizer. GGF employs precision farming, mechanization, and best business practices to boost yields, scale up rapidly to allow for it to absorb masses of unemployed youth and women while fostering skills development and technology transfer.
For further information, contact:
Morenike Ayodele
Marketing & PR Manager
Green Gold Farms Ghana
P. O. BOX BT 65 Community 2, Tema-Ghana
T + 233 (0)203000125
Source: Wesaygh.com