Alhaji Ibrahim Adam, Board Chairman of the Agricultural Development Bank recently made an announcement that, the bank is to start a new branch at Tumu in the Upper West region of the country, in order to aid the cotton cultivators and the Ministry of Food and Agricultural Programmes.
He made this announcement while addressing a farmer's meeting held in Tumu on February 26. The meeting was held to launch the campaign – Cotton “White Gold”, in the North West Zone of the Upper West Region.
He said that, inconsistency in funding of the cotton industry, combined with anarchy and indiscipline, has remained a bone of contention for cotton cultivation in the country.
Alhaji Issahaque Salia, Upper West Regional Minister, in his welcome speech said that, when cotton production was passing through a positive phase, it generated large scale employment opportunities for the youth in the northern zone.
However, he said that a downturn in functioning of the industry has badly affected the broader interest of the cotton cultivators and the workers.
Further, a chief of the Gwollu region stated that, the cotton industry collapsed because, the cotton companies always prioritized their personal interests and gains, while completely overlooking the interest of farmers, leaving them in poverty.
Also these companies introduced highly toxic chemicals, prolonged usage of which affected the fertility of lands, and thus left the farmers with no means of earnings to support their lives.
Business Head of Olam Ghana, assured the farmers that the firm would enhance cotton production in the region by making arrangement for cotton seeds and farm inputs.
Fibre2fashion News Desk - India