Effiduase (Ash), Sept 07, GNA - Soybean has tremendous potential to help Ghana overcome its food deficiency and improve livestock production.

It also helps to reduce risks of heart diseases, cancer, osteoporosis, menopause symptoms and others. Mr Christian Adu-Nti, Ashanti Regional Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), said this at the opening of a two-day soybean utilization workshop organized by the MOFA in collaboration with the African Development Bank (ADB) at Effiduase in the Sekyere East District on Monday.

The workshop being attended by 40 participants including farmers, food vendors, chop bar keepers and school matrons is aimed at encouraging them to use soybean.

He said the crop contains 38.40 per cent of protein, 17-20 per cent oil, 26.29 per cent carbohydrate, crude fiber 5.5 per cent and 8-10 per cent of water.

Mr Adu-Nti said soybean is a valuable nutritional source for homes with low level of animal protein and serves as good source of edible oil.

The Regional Director noted that even the residue obtained after oil extraction of 'soybean cake' is the source of most animal feed.