Twifo Oil Palm Plantation to be transformed into world class plantation – Agric Minister

The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has disclosed that the government and Unilever have entered a partnership to transform the Twifo Oil Palm Plantation Limited (TOPP) into a world-class and sustainable oil palm plantation.

As part of the partnership, TOPP and the government would collaborate to increase investments in the growth and extension of the plantation, provide support for smallholder farmers and adopt measures to guarantee the plantation has a greater positive economic impact.

Dr Akoto said this at the swearing-in ceremony of the newly approved Board members of TOPP at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in Accra on Wednesday.

He noted that the Tree Crop Development Authority (TCDA) was working to position the country to earn $16 billion annually from six selected tree crops over the next eight to ten years.

Cashew, oil palm, shea, coconut, mango, and rubber are among the crops being promoted through the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) programme which aims to reduce reliance on cocoa as a major export commodity.

Dr Akoto urged the board to explore the full potential of the Oil Palm Plantation and help management come out with programmes that would increase the company’s revenue.

He said communication was a vital component of good governance and advised the Board Members to communicate clearly and timely to develop a sense of confidence and trust with their managers.

He noted that it was important for the Board to have regular interactions with managers about risk mitigation and prevention.

The Board Chairman, Mr George Oduro expressed gratitude for the opportunity and assured the readiness to serve to help transform the country's agriculture.

"We are fully aware of the strategic role the TOPP could play in the transformational agenda, more especially in the quest to diversify the economy from cocoa monopoly. It is for this reason that my colleagues and I consider this task as a very important one in ensuring the turn-around of TOPP and making it a profitable entity.

Other members of the board include Oseadeeyo Kwesi Kennin IV, Mr David Klotey Collison, Kwaku Oppong-Duah and Mr Faris Elias Attricke.

The rest are Dr John Ampontuah Kumah, Mr. Richard Twumasi-Ankrah, Prof. Eric Yirenkyi Danquah, Mr Daniel Kojo Nyame, Mad. Abena Ntrakwah-Mensah and Mr Sekar Ramamoorthy.