AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) has launched a Community Farming Support Project to empower host communities.

The initiative will be implemented in 20 communities across the Obuasi Municipality and Obuasi East District.

The GHȼ500,000 investment will provide alternative and diversified livelihoods to enhance economic status in the Obuasi enclave.

The project will facilitate the cultivation of 200 acres of maize by 100 farming households and facilitate the cultivation of 25 acres of vegetables for 50 female farmers.

According to the Economic Development Superintendent of Anglogold, Daniel Arthur Bentum, the promotion of agriculture is a key investment area under the mine’s 10 year Social Development Plan.

"AngloGold Ashanti wants to improve the local economy of its host communities through commercial or business farming.

 "We believe our agriculture interventions will address the challenges of high cost of farming inputs among other things," said Daniel Arthur Bentum on behalf of the Senior manager-sustainability,Emmanuel Baidoo.

The Obuasi Municipal Director of Agriculture, Raphael Atta Peprah noted that the initiative by Anglogold Ashanti will contribute to food security in the municipality.

He commended AGA for the Community Farming Support Project.

"We're happy to get Anglogold Ashanti as stakeholders to support farmers to achieve the government's  aim of  food security in the country," he said.

The beneficiary farmers are supported with vegetable seeds, weedicides, insecticides, fungicides and fertilizers.

Ama Bioh, a beneficiary, expressed gratitude to AngloGold Ashanti for the intervention.

"I was given two acres of land and fertilizer to start maize farming and after farming on the land for a while I harvested about 10 bags of maize.

"I'm really grateful to Anglogold Ashanti," she noted.

The Community Farming Support Project is another agric intervention programme rolled out by AGA after it launched and implemented  the Obuasi Goes Agro programme in 2020.

Farmers who took part in the Obuasi Goes Agro program were awarded  by the company.