Tamale, Jan. 15, GNA - Eight hundred and seventy one (871) youth in the Tamale Metropolis were supported with an interest- free facility of GH¢ 220,620 under the Youth in Agriculture Programme last year. The project which started in June 2010 was made up of 82 groups with a numerical strength of 1,976 who where engaged in rice, maize and soya bean cultivation covering a total land size of 3,401 acres. Alhaji Abudulai Haruna Friday, Tamale Metropolitan Chief Executive, made this known at the Town Hall Meeting organised by the Assembly to highlight its achievements over the past two years. He said the cost of subsidised fertiliser supplied to the farmers cost more than GH¢ 227,634.

He said the government under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture had also supplied agriculture machinery including 90 tractors, 10 power tillers and 15 maize shellers to boost agriculture production in the Metropolis. Alhaji Friday said as a result of the engagement of the youth in agriculture the prices of major commodities in the Metropolis had been stable since 2009.

He noted that the average market prices of (100 kg) of maize was GH¢43.00, millet (90kg) stood at GH¢ 69.00 and sorghum (109kg) sold at GH¢ 62.00. He said as part of the governments efforts to enhance household's income and food security a total of 80 people were given 10 animals, mostly females for rearing, adding that another 40 livestock farmers would also benefit from the programme.