Kumasi (Ash), March 26, GNA - Major General J.N. Adinkra, Chief of Army Staff, on Friday, re-launched the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) commercial farming project at the Four Garrison in Kumasi. The goal is to pursue reasonable level of agricultural production alongside its core military functions. This would not only help to boost production of local staples, commercial crops and livestock, but equally importantly, provide practical training to prepare soldiers for future engagement as commercial farmers or backyard gardeners during their retirement. Major-Gen Adinkra said apart from adding up to internally generated funds, the farms would assist to protect military lands from encroachers and enhance the protein and vitamin intake of the officers and men.

He therefore asked all soldiers to show enthusiasm to make the project, which would be undertaken in all the garrisons, a success. Major Budu Kumi, Second-in-Command, Four Battalion of Infantry (4BN), gave a brief history of the farm in the Unit and said from a humble beginning of about one-and-half acres, they could now boast of a total of eight acres of farmland and a thriving livestock farm. In the short term they would maintain the crop and animal farms with projected annual expansion rate of about 70 per cent.

Major Kumi said their future plan was to shift the farming activity to Afari in the Atwima-Nwabiagya District, to help to salvage what was left of the military lands there.