Go into cash crop farming to earn a living - Lartey

Mr Yaw Osei Lartey, Project Co-ordinator and Resource person in-charge of training of Abibiman Sankofa Cultural Movement (ASCUM) on Sunday called on members of the group to venture into serious cultivation of cash crops like yam, cassava and ginger to enhance their financial standing.

Mr Osei Lartey gave the advice when the executives of the 19 communities met to discuss on what businesses their members could invest in to earn some income to improve on their lifestyles and also cater for their children in school.

He said when the members were able to cultivate the crops, they would be able to feed themselves, make money, build houses, and provide food for the hungry as well as create job for the jobless.

He said ASCUM has registered and developed 19 dynamic socio-economic and cultural groups with its total membership of 570 comprising 226 males and 344 females as at September 2006.

Mr. Freeman Madji, Founder of ASCUM said some of the groups are located in communities like Kokooso, Abenabo Number Two, Asuboi, Oboadaka, Dokorochiwa, Suhum, Amanase, Betenase, Akotey-Trajo, Coaltar, Kwaboanta, Ada and Asuboi Oboase.

Mr Madji said some of the groups have embarked on export oriented traditional and non-traditional grasscutter, snails, bees, goats, pigs, ducks and cattle rearing as well as fish and mushroom farming.

The Reverend Patrick Addo Lartey, Patron of one of the groups said he would take advantage of abundant natural clay deposit in the country and to establish small-scale industries in the rural communities to produce assorted pottery and ceramic wares like bricks and roofing tiles.

He said he would not only establish the industries to support rural housing but would also train the youth to acquire skills and impart modern pottery technology to prospective local potters as a means to enhance rural industrialization.