Peki-Blengo (V/R), Nov. 17, GNA - Christian Rural Aid Network (CRAN), a non-governmental organization with special focus on building and integrating rural productive activity into the national economy is to expand its activities in the Volta Region, Mr Cosmos Abiwu, CRAN Regional Director has said.

He was speaking to journalists during a durbar at Peki-Blengo to mark the 156th year of the inception of missionary and educational work by Bremen Missionaries in the area.

Mr Abiwu said CRAN, which had been operating in the country for the past 10 years is currently operating with a 230,000 Euro grant by its German Partners.

He said under its Rural Enterprises Development Promotion Programme, CRAN would support food processing in the rural areas to sustain increased agricultural production.

Mr Abiwu listed oil processing, mushroom growing, bee keeping and agro-forestry as areas under CRAN's purview

He said CRAN offers farming groups up to 10 million cedis credit and smaller amounts to individuals in the food distribution business to enable foodstuffs reach the markets.

Mr Abiwu said CRAN considers food security as vital for sustaining life in the rural areas and would support areas in the rural economy that would facilitate its achievement.

He said CRAN was also operating a savings scheme under which clients are given soft loans after saving with the scheme for sometime.

Mr Abiwu said CRAN, which is ecumenical in nature, but not a Church, also offers help to children orphans, as well as offer scholarships to brilliant but needy children.