Afianku (Ash.), June 17, GNA - The Grains and Legumes Development Board (GLDB) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), has established 50 hectares of foundation seed of the "Obaatanpa" maize variety for sale to growers. They will in turn multiply this maize variety of high nutrient value for distribution to farmers.

Mr John Wobil, Executive Director of the Board, announced this when he conducted Mr Ernest Akubour Debrah, the Food and Agriculture Minister, round its nine-hectare foundation seed of the "Obaatanpa" at Afianku, near Juaben in Ashanti. The Minister was on a three-day official tour of the Region. Mr Wobil said the Board expected to harvest between 15 and 18 tonnes of maize from the farm at Afianku. He told the Minister that the other seed farms of the GLDB were at Kintampo in the Brong-Ahafo Region, Asante-Mampong and Ejura in Ashanti, Kwamoso in Eastern and Gomoa-Lome in the Central Region.

The Executive Director spoke of plans to add more hectares to what they were now doing and also bring on board sorghum, cowpea, rice and soybean. He appealed to the Minister to assist the Board to desilt and expand a dam it had been using to irrigate the Afianku farm.

Mr Debrah said he was happy about the efforts the GLDB was making to help modernise agriculture in the country and advised farmers to plant quality seeds that would give them high crop yields. He noted that apart from high yield, certified seeds could also withstand drought and resist diseases.

The Minister expressed the hope that the Board would double its efforts at producing adequate improved seeds for farmers to grow to boost the agricultural sector of the economy.