Saturday, November 06, 2010
Eden Tree Goes To The Rescue Of Farmers
Eden Tree Limited, a medium-scale company, with speciality in the processing, packaging and supply of fresh vegetables, has launched a GH¢50,000 revolving fund (RLF) for out-grower famers in deprived and underprivileged communities in parts of Tema and Accra.
The fund, which is in partnership with the United States Africa Development Foundation (USADF) and Development Solutions Centre (DSC), is to make available to the farmers quick access to loans to boost productivity.
Under the scheme, Eden Tree Limited will serve as a ready market for the farmers by buying the products, while some are exchanged for the repayments of the loans by the beneficiaries.
It is to provide the farmers with regular income, which will have rippled effects on sustained livelihood for their households and communities.
Mrs Catherine Krobo-Edusei Benson, Chief Executive of the Eden Tree Limited, said 72 farmers were expected to benefit from the fund but added that provisions would be made for other farmers who would join the association in future.
She indicated that an adequate credit management system would be rolled out by her company to ensure credit delivery in an efficient manner.
Mrs Krobo-Edusei Benson noted that the initiative would also provide long-term economic benefits to the farmers and help them set up a broad framework to attract other local funding for sustainable expansion operations.
Launching the fund, Mr Yaw Effah-Baafi, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture (In charge of crops), said the agricultural sector needed to be given serious attention in Ghana, if the nation was to make progress in all spheres of life.
He said any initiative to boost agriculture would stimulate the economy and commended the USADF, DSC and Eden Tree Limited for the efforts they had made in providing funds for farmers.
The minister said the initiative would help the government realise its core business of developing and promoting agriculture to ensure food security, increased employment and income by using access to credit and training.
Mr Effah-Baafi also advised the farmers to be prompt in the repayment of their loans to ensure the sustenance of the fund.
The minister said his outfit would collaborate with DSC and Eden Tree Limited to harness their full potential in the development and use of Value Chain approach to guide farmers and other participants in the agricultural industry.
Source: Daily Graphic