Abr)fo Nkatie can save Ghana's economy – Prof Tano-Debrah

Professor Tano-Debrah of the University of Ghana Department of Nutrition and Food Science has said that the Tropical Almond tree (terminalia catappa) known locally as Abr)fo Nkatie (Twi) or Gugianbaturi (Hausa) has the economic potential to save Ghana from its economic doldrums.

Professor Tano Debrah, who did his Phd in Hiroshima and is a Marie-Curie Fellow is a global expert on agricultural oil extraction and has published very widely on the issue.

He said that the Almond tree can produce fruit within two and half years and can grow anywhere, as it needs hardly any water.

He also said the tree harvests three times a year with a very good yield for the land used.

According to him, oil can be extracted cheaply and easily from the fruit adding, that oil has a very high value of ten to twelve thousand US dollars per ton on the international market.

Cocoa has never exceeded three thousand six hundred dollars a ton for the last three hundred years and oil palm is about one thousand dollars per ton, he added.

Professor Tano Debrah made these remarks when the Presidential Candidate of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Ivor Kobina Greenstreet, led a delegation to interact with the Professor at the University of Ghana, Legon.

At the recent IEA evening encounter, the CPP Flag-bearer, referred to the tropical almond tree as having the potential to transforming Ghana's economy by generating billions of dollars for Ghana.

He said an investment in the growth and production of the fruits is a vehicle for job creation for the many unemployed youth in the country.

“...California earns billions of dollars a year from the almond tree," he said.

In his meeting, the University lecturer Professor Tano-Debrah gave further details about the uses to which the Almond tree could be put.

He mentioned health uses (pharmaceuticals), environmental uses (afforestation-carbon sequestration and food uses (oil, animal feed etc).

He also stated that Nana Kwesi Abura, an almond tree expert had invented an advanced processing machine.

Beyond the derivatives from Almond tree the CPP flagbearer also expressed delight that the Department was already involved in niche economic activities including nicely processed Ice Kenkey milk.

“These are the sorts of activities we shall upscale as it represents self determination in practice” he said.

Part of the delegation to the University included the Chairman and Leader Professor E. N. Delle, First Vice Chairman, Hajia Ham Datu Haruna, Second Vice Chairman Susan Adu- Amankwa and National Campaign Coordinator Rashid Alao.

Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com