Planting For Export And Rural Development; Atwima Nwabiagya Municipality Is On Course

The over-arching aim of government to transform the agricultural sector is anchored on some strategic policies which include the Planting for Export and Rural Development(PERD) programme which was launched by His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo on 23rd April 2019 at Dunkwa on Offin. The "PERD provides opportunities for addressing the economic fundamentals by expanding and diversifying the agricultural sector to earn foreign exchange from agricultural exports, and generate much-needed jobs.

To ensure successful implementation of this strategic programme, MMDAs were tasked to select cash tree crops based on the ecology of their area for rigorous development. Consequently, the management of Atwima Nwabiagya Municipal Assembly under the able leadership of *Hon. Michael Amoah Awuku* chose oil palm of which about 45,000 seedlings were procured last year for nursery.Last week as part of his supervisory obligations, Hon. Michael Amoah Awuku together with the Municipal MOFA director, Municipal works engineer, and some staff at the assembly and MOFA directorate, toured the nursery site at Amadum Adankwame to find out the progress of the programme. At the site, the MCE applauded the good work of the workers as they have done a yeoman's job for effective implementation of the programme and stated that, hopefully by the close of the month, the nurseries will be distributed to farmers who have shown interest in the programme for free. Already farmers in the municipality who have shown much enthusiasm in the programme have been trained on the best agricultural practices to be adopted; showing the readiness of the farmers to kick start the programme with practical knowledge which will help in the medium and long term sustainability of the palm trees.According to *Hon. Amoah Awuku*, more extension officers have been deployed to the municipality with one vehicle and eleven motor bikes given by the government to ensure smooth implementation of this great programme.

Hon. Amoah Awuku used the opportunity to advise the farmers to take the programme serious by eschewing the seeming imbued culture of apathy that are usually attached to government programmes. He is optimistic that such attitudes will be the surest way to achieve the programme's intended purpose of impacting positively on the life of the farmers and the country's economy at large.