The Faculty of Agriculture at the Wenchi campus of the Methodist University College Ghana (MUCG) has during its five years of existence has impacted positively on more than 1000 farmers in Wenchi and Techiman municipalities.

The faculty has been able to do this through the development of functional and effective commodity value chains for maize, soya beans and cashew, Very Reverend Professor Samuel Kwesi Adjepong, Principal of the College, announced at the weekend.

Addressing the 6th matriculation and 5th congregation of the MUCG, he said the faculty in collaboration with the International Fertilizer Development Centre (IFDC), had embarked on a project dubbed “The IFDC 100 plus Project”.

A total of 84 fresh students were matriculated into various programmes of study in BSc in General Agriculture, Diploma in General Agriculture, Certificate in Agri-Business and Certificate in Horticulture.

Nine students were presented for the BSc degree in General Agriculture, 24 for Diploma in General Agriculture, six for Certificate in Agro-processing, six for Certificate in Agri-business and seven for Certificate in Horticulture, making a total of 52.

Professor Adjepong explained that the project had led to the creation of a municipal innovation platform, “the composition of which includes stakeholders such as the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), MOFA regional crop research station, non-governmental organizations, financial institutions and farmers’ representatives”.

He said the innovation platform was aimed at creating opportunities for spontaneous and strategic interactions in order to improve the service delivery capacity of each component member and this had so far proved extremely beneficial to the entire membership, particularly the farming fraternity.

“The operation of the Value Chain concept has led to the identification of all relevant actors within the selected Commodity Value Chains and the strengthening of the linkages that exist between them.

“These efforts have led to an increase in efficiency levels of more than 15 per cent in those commodities across the entire project zone”, Prof Adjepong added.

He said under the IFDC 1000 Plus Project, the faculty had been organizing community fora for farmers in Wenchi and Techiman, with a view to improving their knowledge base, attitudes, practices and skills.

Prof Adjepong disclosed that the faculty had benefited from a research grant by the IFDC to further study and consolidate the gains made by participants of the 1000 Plus Projects and the first phase, which ended last year whilst the second phase would commence this year.

He congratulated the students on their individual achievements and encouraged them to aim higher and to hold fast the values inculcated in them during their period of studies to become men and women of integrity.

Prof Adjepong commended the fresh students for their admission to the College “where you will have the singular opportunity to be trained in such a way that you will not only be acquiring theoretical knowledge in agriculture but be introduced to and involved in practical agriculture so that you will be encouraged to venture into farming as a business enterprise and not become unemployed at the end of your studies”.

A representative of Professor Ernest Aryeetey, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Legon, Professor Obeng Ofori noted that the premier University, as the mentor of the MUCG, had so far been impressed by developments at the faculty at the Wenchi campus.

“We in Legon are proud of the success story of the MUCG and want to give you a pat on the shoulder”, he said and congratulated the council, management, staff and students of the College.

Most Reverend Professor Emmanuel K. Asante, Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church Ghana and Chairman of the MUCG Council, noted that remarkable achievements continued to be made “by this fledgling University College campus and we are looking forward to greater things to come”.

He urged the matriculants and the graduates to take advantage of “the golden opportunity” provided for them to carve a bright future for themselves, the nation and the world at large.