NSS to champion maize, rice, soya beans production

(2nd right) Osei Assibey Antwi, NSS Executive Director, inspects farmland at Kumawu

The Executive Director of the National Service Scheme (NSS), Osei Assibey Antwi, has disclosed that the Scheme is positioning itself to be a leading producer of maize, soya beans and rice in the country.

The initiative, he indicated, will not only enhance Ghana’s food security, but also create jobs for the teeming youth as well as support poultry farmers with feed for their birds.

He said although previous NSS leadership had championed farming, the current leadership intends to produce for commercial purposes.

“The Scheme has been able to acquire 200,000 acres of farmland at Kumawu, out of which 20,000 acres are presently being developed to kick start planting. Over the weekend, the entire management of the NSS spent time in Kumawu to inspect the land and assess progress of work on its development,” he revealed.

He made the disclosure when he led a delegation from the Scheme to Kumawu to inspect the land and assess progress of work on its development.

He further disclosed that the Scheme had already signed an off-taker agreement with the poultry farmers’ association in line with the initiative.

“With about five major river bodies surrounding the farmland. There would be continuous farming activity throughout the year when they start,” he said.

Land acquisition

He pointed out that the Scheme presently has 14 farmlands across the country, with each having agricultural experts managing them.

Mr Assibey Antwi said, together with the about 3,000 agricultural and veterinary medicine graduates who would be working with the Scheme as service persons every year, their decision to venture into commercial maize, rice and soya beans production would be relevant.

“Apart from how this is going to increase food production in the country, the scheme also aims at using farming to offer practical training for these numerous agricultural graduates who work with the scheme,” he indicated.

To this end, he assured registrants that at end of their service, his outfit would help them form co-operatives that would be supported with funding from EXIM Bank and the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme (NEIP) to deliver.