Ankaase (Ash), March 4, GNA- Alhaji Ahmed Akwasi Yeboah, Kwabre District Chief Executive, has called on farmers to take advantage of government policies and programmes on agriculture to expand their farms. This, he said, would help them to improve on their standards of living and also be able to contribute positively to the socio-economic development of the country.

Alhaji Yeboah made the call when he inaugurated and presented registration certificate to the Ankaase Co-operative Food Farmers Society at Ankaase in the Kwabre district on Wednesday. He said government will continue to assist farmers and advised them not to waste land because it is a precious and natural resource of the country.

The DCE announced that the government is importing 500 tractors to be distributed to farmers this year, adding that efforts are also being made to get the Ankaase-Aboaso road tarred.

Alhaji Yeboah explained the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) concept to the people and asked them to embrace it. Miss Diana Kusi-Yeboah, Kwabre District Co-operative Officer, said it was the objectives of the government to use the department as a tool for national development.

She said through the Village Infrastructure Programme (VIP) and Agricultural Sub-Sector Investment Programme, 15 primary crop food farmers' societies have been formed in the district. Miss Kusi-Yeboah said the formation of the Kwabre Co-operative Food Farmers Society therefore was the outcome of the formation of the primary societies.

Dr Kwansah Filson, the District Director of Food and Agriculture, said his ministry was teaming up with the Department of Co-operatives to support food farmers to develop the agricultural sector.

He called on the farmers to embark on meaningful and skilful economic ventures to mobilise funds to promote their activities. Mr Owusu Gyeme Fordjour, secretary of the society, said the society has a membership of 30 and that they cultivated a five-acre of maize farm last year and realised a profit of 1.2 million cedis. He said efforts are being made by the society to purchase a corn mill and called on MOFA, the district assembly and other organisations for support.