The Bono Regional office of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA) has targeted to cultivate 3000 acres of maize farm as part of the phase II of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) initiative.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, Mr. Shadrach Abrefa Mensa, the Bono Regional Director of YEA, said his office would play a key role in the phase II of the PFJ programme with support from the Ministry of Agriculture.
He mentioned that approximately 600 young people would be recruited under the Youth in Agriculture module to assist with farming activities throughout the region.
Mr. Abrefa Mensa explained that from July 2019 to January 2020, the YEA carried out a pilot project on a 250-acre maize farm at Branam in the Wenchi Municipality.
He highlighted the success of the initiative in training 100 young farmers through various phases of the project, including land preparation, beneficiary recruitment, farmer business school, planting, post-planting, harvesting, and storage.
Mr. Abrefa Mensa emphasized that under the pilot programme, the youth gained valuable skills in agronomic practices and farm management through the Farmer Business School.
Additionally, the beneficiaries received hands on training in the management of maize farms which helped to increase income generation and employment opportunities for the community and surrounding areas.
Mr. Abrefa Mensa stated that the project’s produce was supplied to the Buffer Stock Company which contributed to the reduction of food insecurity in the country.
