Hohoe, June 8, GNA- Mr. John Peter Amewu, Hohoe District Chief Executive (DCE) said the District, a beneficiary of the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Compact, was preparing for the take-off of the project in the area.

Consequently, he said the Hohoe District Out-growers Association had registered as a co-operate body and acquired 1,000 hectares of land at Fodome and Have in the area.

Mr. Amewu, who made the disclosure to the GNA at Hohoe, said the district was undertaking an environmental impact assessment procedure as a prelude and conditionality for the project. He said over 60 groups have been identified to produce mangoes, pineapples and vegetables under the MCA. Mr. Amewu said a farmer-based organisation of 97 members was into crop and livestock production, processing and marketing in the district with support from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. He said under the Livestock Development Project, other groups have accessed micro-credit facility totalling 508 million cedis with a recovery rate of 35.9 percent.

The DCE said six farmer-based organisations in the district were benefiting from a 206 million cedis Food and Agriculture Budgetary Support credit facility.

Mr. Amewu said this would enable members to undertake the cultivation of rice, maize, vegetables and the processing of palm kernel oil and palm oil and the rearing of pigs. He said seven groups were also being supported with 635 million cedis grant, under the European Development Fund to produce and process rice, cassava, oil palm and vegetables.

On the New Rice for Africa project, Mr. Amewu said 2,460 farmers have been educated on the production of the new breed and that about 20 tonnes of seed rice would be released for cultivation, this year. He said 17 feeder road network of about 88.8 kilometres have been identified for improvement within the major rice producing areas in the district to facilitate the transportation of rice and other agriculture produce to the market centres.