EDIF Supports Small Scale Farmers
THE EXPORT Development and Investment Fund (EDIF) has acquired various items valued at ¢762 million for the Mumuadu Pepper Growers Association in the Fantekwa District of the Eastern Region.
The items included a tractor, a set of irrigation equipment, 80 pieces of machetes, 80 pieces of hoes, 10 knapsack sprayers, pepper and citrus seedlings.
EDIF is also providing four weighing scales and a farm shed to the association made up of 85 farmers from Abompe, Nsutem and Nsuapemso.
The farmers would initially cultivate a 20-acre land and their produce would be exported overseas under the Export Development Promotion Programme.
At the presentation ceremony at Osino, a board member of EDIF, Mr J.K. Boamah, said the purpose of the Fund was to make financial resources available for the development and promotion of trade in the country, adding that the rationale was to make Ghanaian exports more competitive in the global market and to help increase the country's earnings.
He maintained that the Fund had a credit facility component as well as the export development and promotion facility component, explaining that the credit facility account was intended to provide support in the form of loans through designated financial institutions to individuals, corporate exporters and producers of exportable goods.
He expressed the hope that the facility granted to the association would help create employment and impact positively on the country's export trade.
The Deputy Regional Minister, Hon Ofosu Asamoah, who presented the items to the association on behalf of EDIF, on November 16, this yearon November 16, this yearadvised members of the association to be always guided by the objectives and principles that motivated them to form the association, asking them to eschew negative and anti-social tendencies such as greed, selfishness, lack of transparency and accountability, which he said were likely to damage the image of the association and thwart their laudable efforts.