The Italian Ambassador to Ghana, Giovani Favilla has unveiled a 20-hectare pilot subsistent farming scheme, the Sipcam-Oxon rural village, in Kordiabe in the Eastern Region.
According to Mr. Favilla, the farm village is to improve the living condition of the people in the area.
The farming village is a social responsibility project by the Italian agro chemical company Spicam-Oxon and their Ghanaian partners Soiless Limited.
Speaking at the launch, the Italian Ambassador reiterated that lack of opportunity is one of the reasons for irregular migration to urban areas.
“What we are bringing here is a new opportunity. Opportunity is about putting people together. The land, the people are here. It takes hard work, the expertise and the know-how; that is what we are bringing here.
“With the beautiful and great resources of Ghana, there will be new opportunity for people to get together and have sustainable farming they can use for themselves or sell to the market,” he said.
Spicam Oxon financed the acquisition of the 20-hectare irrigation land as a corporate social responsibility to be divided among 40 families for vegetable production.
Apart from the land, beneficiaries would be provided with seeds, farming input, agro support from agronomists and marketing of their produce.
The Italian Ambassador said the gesture is a step in bridging Ghana-Italy relations at the grassroots level.
Group CEO of Spicam-Oxon, Giovanni Affaba said the company want to create a micro economy in Kordiabe.
“For us, we want to be sure people believe in the project and believe that following the project they can produce enough to sell,” he said.
The Mankralo of the Shai Traditional Area, Nene Narteh Wayo III, believes the youth in the areas will be attracted to go into farming.
According to him, the farm ties into the government flagship program of Planting for Food and Jobs.
Participating farmers were presented with certificate of enrolment.
Spicam-Oxon based on the successes of the implementation of the pilot program, the project would be replicated across the nation.
By Paul Selorm Agbo | 3news.com | Ghana