About 20 Farmer-Based Cooperatives (FBCs) in the Northern part of the country have received some farm implements valued at about $50,000 to enhance agricultural activities in their areas.

The items included motoking tricycles, tractor, grinding mills, irrigation system among others.

The farm implements were presented to the FBC's by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) through its Implementing Partner, the Association of Church-Based Development Programme (ACDEP).

The presentation formed part of the “Capacity Development of the FBCs/FBOs in Northern Ghana Project, a bilateral cooperation arrangement between the Government of Ghana, represented by the Ministry of Employment and Labour Relations through the Department of Cooperatives and the Government of the Republic of Korea.

The project, which is being implemented in the five regions of northern Ghana, is expected to provide training and build the capacities of the FBCs/FBOs in planning business projects, mobilizing collective resources and implementing income generation projects.

Mr Francis Akakpo , Programme Officer for KOICA Ghana, who made the presentation on behalf of the Country Director of KOICA, urged the beneficiaries to use the equipment efficiently to help support their agricultural businesses and improve on the livelihoods of their members.

Mr Emmanuel Adjei, the Development Planning Officer at the Ministry for Employment and Labour Relations (MELR) speaking on behalf of the Minister for Employment and Labour Relations, commended KOICA for complementing the efforts of government by providing such useful asset to farmers and cooperatives as means of empowering farmers and reducing the incidences of poverty in northern Ghana.

He urged other agencies to emulate KOICA's effort by providing more resources to support rural farmers in the country.

Mr Charles Yaw Offe, Acting Registrar for the Department of Cooperatives assured the donors that measures would be put in place to help monitor and ensure the effective use and maintenance of the assets presented.

Mrs Sabratu Mahama, beneficiary and a secretary to the Nasia Women Cooperative, a farmer-based group in the North East Region, who spoke on behalf of the beneficiary FBCs/FBOs expressed gratitude to KOICA and its partners for the support and assured them that the asserts would go a long way to promote their activities, especially in terms of transportation.

The KOICA FBCs/FBOs project comprises six major components, including Cooperative Policy Advisory, Training of Trainers (TOT), Training of FBC/FBO leaders (TOL), Overseas Invitational Training in Korea, Networking and Marketing Support, and Supports for Pilot Projects.

The farm implements presented falls under the Pilot Project and Training of Farmer Leaders (TOL) Action Plan Support components of the project and represent one of several presentations made by KOICA in recent times.