Plan International Ghana, an NGO in partnership with the European Union (EU) has held an exhibition in Sunyani to showcase some organic products yielded from Plan Ghana’s initiative, Green Skills Ghana (GSG) project.
The program which was under the theme ”Exhibition of Green Products, Sustaining the Environment for Future Generations”, aimed at promoting organic agriculture.
The Green Skills project initiated in January 2017 is a three year project with funding support from the EU.
The event dubbed ”Regional Trade Exhibition’ was aimed at promoting employment and jobs creation for the youth as well as sustaining the environment with green skills.
According to the Project Manager of Plan International Ghana, Rose Aawulenaa, more than 5000 youth have so far benefited from the initiative in 60 selected communities in three municipalities in Ghana, Ga south in the Greater Accra Region, Sunyani in the Bono Region and Tano North in the Ahafo Region.
“The project supports beneficiaries to gain green skills…in effect, 20 communities in each of the communities are benefiting from the project, we have been able to form 243 Village Savings and Loans Associations and this has given us a total membership of 6060 with the youth male constituting 243 and youth females 2122 also adult males constituting 1224 whiles adult females constitute 1741” she disclosed.
She added that, ‘’as part of our achievements,…we have been able to identify nine Green skills models, and they are Grass cutter rearing, Rabbit rearing, Snail rearing, Poultry rearing and bee keeping. The rest are mushroom cultivating, organic vegetable farming and afforestation’’ She added.
Addressing the gathering, the Sunyani MCE, Justina Owusu Banahene said the initiative is laudable as majority of Ghanaians work in the Agricultural sector.
”When you come to Sunyani, Tano North and Ga south, 45 percent are farmers’’.
Speaking on behalf of the Country Director of Plan International, the Program Unit Manager for the Northern Sector, Eric Ayaba said, the initiative is in line with the government’s priorities such as PFJ initiative and encouraged the youth to take advantage of it.
The event was attended by officials from the EPA, MoFA, GNFS and the Women Integrated Development Organization (WIDO).
Also present were various stakeholders in the Agricultural sector. Alluring organically nurtured mushrooms, grass cutters, snails, rabbits, cockerels, honey among others were displayed at the event with a view to drawing the attention of the public to the benefits of going organic.
Story filed by Dauda Zul-kiful
