French Ambassador Commends Ghana

The French Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Pierre Jacquemot, has commended the government and the University of Ghana for accepting on-farm training sessions on agro-forestry as the basic tool for the development of the agriculture sector. He said agro-forestry helped to reduce poverty and provided for effective natural resources management.

Mr Jacquemot said this in Abokobi, a suburb of Accra, when he recently inaugurated a “Euro 15,000 on-farm Agro-forestry training center,” established by the French Embassy in Ghana and Pro-Natural International Ghana, a French NGO. He said on-farming training sessions on Agro-forestry also helped to find solutions to ensure food security.

Mr Jacquemot urged Ghanaian farmers to make the best of the agro-forestry programme so as to move their farming activities forward. He said training in agro-forestry was an important tool for the development of a nation's economy.

“It is of great satisfaction to see such a high-standard Institution as the University of Ghana working in collaboration with the farmers and Civil Society Organisations for the improvement of the farmer's livelihood and the development of a nation as a whole,” he said.

The Ga East District Chief Executive, Mr Kofi Allotey said the government believed that agriculture was the backbone of the Ghanaian economy and as such it was dearest to its heart. He said his administration would do everything in its power to help raise the livelihoods of Ghanaian farmers.

He said the government had provided the necessary funds for the development of agriculture in the Ga East District in order to help the youth of the area take up farming as a major profession.

Mr allotey also commended the University of Ghana, Pro-Natural International, a French NGO and the French Embassy for encouraging the study of agro-forestry.