Akosombo (E/R), Oct. 2, GNA - Wienco Ghana Limited, an agricultural products company, has rounded off its month-long nationwide tree planting exercise, planting 600 pieces of cassia tree on a three-acre land at Adjena Donor in Akosombo on Friday.

The exercise, which began in September 2010, and formed part of activities to mark the 30th Anniversary celebration of the company, aimed at preserving and conserving the natural environment for sustainable agricultural development.

The tree planting exercise at Adjena Donor, which was the fourth in the series after similar exercises at Tikobo (1) in the Western Region, Tumu and Tamale respectively in the Northern Region, was unique as it would also serve as protection to the Akosombo Dam. Mr William Kotey, General Manager of Wienco Ghana Limited, said the company believed there is a relationship between the natural environment and the development of the agricultural sector adding this underscored the need to preserve and conserve the natural environment for sustainable agricultural development. Mr Kotey said sustainable agriculture development had the potential to increase agricultural productivity in terms of yields to ensure national food security.

He appealed to residents to take good care of the trees to ensure that they survived.

Mr Anthony Blay, Director of Agriculture of the Volta River Estates Limited, a subsidiary of Wienco Ghana Limited, called for a change of attitude to preserve the ecosystem.

He observed that human activities were to blame for the climate change and its effects on the environment. Mr Johnson Ehiakpor, District Chief Executive of Asuogyaman, lauded the initiative and called on residents to support it. Adjena Donor Dade Mantse, Agbor Kwame pledged the commitment of the traditional area to protect the trees.

He said food crops had been failing due to high temperature arising from the indiscriminate felling of trees in the area. Meanwhile, Wienco Ghana Limited said it would in the subsequent days, plant additional 200 trees bringing the total to 800 trees in the area. 2 Oct. 10