Mr Emmanuel Kofi Agyemang, Dormaa East DIstrict Chief Executive in the Bono Region, has distributed 20,000 hybrid coconut seedlings to some farmers at Nsesresu in the district under the government's Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) programme. Already, the assembly had supported the nursing of 12,000 coconut seedlings at the Nsesresu nursing site and an additional 8,000 seedlings at the Merefrewuo nursery site in the district. Making the presentation at a short ceremony, Mr Agyemang advised the beneficiary farmers not to sell the seedlings, but them to plant them. He said the assembly and by extension the government was spending much on the PERD programme and entreated the farmers to help make value of the coconut seedlings, indicating that between 2018 and 2021 the assembly had distributed more than one million cashew seedlings to farmers in the area. The PERD programme, Mr Agyemang explained, was an initiative being implemented by the government to alleviate poverty and improve the socio- economic livelihoods of the farmers and commended them for embracing the programme. He said the cashew sector value chain had seen tremendous growth and development over the years, stressing cashew buyers in the area had increased from 20 in 2017 to more than 120 buyers in 2024, and thereby creating employment and stimulating economic growth. Touching on the construction of a dam and canopy walk-way in the Nsesresu community, Mr Agyemang said work on the project was progressing, saying the contractor had assured to complete and handover within two weeks. 'The contractor is now waiting for the pillars to dry so that concrete works to erect the canopy would also begin', he explained. Barimah Effiriti Sampon-Siaw, the Mawarehene of the Dormaa Traditional Area, appealed to the farmers to consider the process of adding value to their produce, instead of focusing only on producing raw materials. He urged the unemployed people in the area to take advantage of the PERD programme and engage in cashew and coconut production to better their lot. Mr Gordon Tuah, the Dormaa East District Director of Agriculture, took the farmers through the proper method of planting and urged them to seek the services of the Extension Officers to improve their farm work. Source: Ghana News Agency