Accra, May 9,GNA- An Agricultural oriented business Incubator centre dubbed Agro- Business Incubator is to be setup in the Western Region before the end of the year. The centre will primarily concentrate on developing the vegetable sector and will serve as a processing point for all vegetable growers in the Western Region and subsequently nationwide. Alhaji Mohammed Adams, Co-ordinator, Youth in Agriculture Programme, Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), in an interview with the Ghana News Agency said the Western Region Agro-Incubator centre will be located within the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis. It will house heavy Agricultural processing equipments such as washers, sterilisers, chillers and Vegetable Packaging Machineries for all local vegetable growers to share for a small fee. Under this concept, it is the responsibility of the Agro-Incubator centre to find market for all client farmers who uses the facility. The centre will also have the option to purchase produce directly from the farmers in order to supply to potential buyers. This is expected to transform the entire agricultural industry and encourage the youth as well as give confidence to any potential agro-entrepreneur who might have doubts in the industry. The programme is a special initiative of the Government's Youth In Agriculture Programme (YIAP) under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to uplift and generate entrepreneurship spirit among Ghanaians into the Agriculture sector as a viable means of generating wealth.

The Agro-Incubator concept has been used across the globe and it is known to be the success of Agriculture in many countries such as India, Malaysia, China, USA, Thailand, and Brazil. This is also to alert all vegetable growers in the Western Region to prepare for a heavy industry boom where their produce are now going to be monitored and internationalised for the export market. Successful piloting of this programme will lead to a chain of similar programmes across the country in all regions and all sectors of Agriculture. The programme will be started by the YIAP but will eventually be converted into a Public Private Partnership (PPP). It would be implemented in two major phases with the first phase concentrating on crops and the secondary in poultry. The initial part of the project will focus on five districts and municipalities which are; Jomoro, Ellembelle, Nzema East, Ahanta West and Shama. There shall be one hundred units on farms in each district with the main processing plant located in the Shama district, he said. 9 May 11