AngloGold Ashanti Ghana, Obuasi Mine, has presented agricultural tools to officers in the Ashanti Region to help fight climate change.

The tools are to support AGA's Climate Resilient Oil Palm Project (CROPP) which is part of the 10-year Socio-Economic Development Plan of the mining company.

The CROPP is part of AngloGold Ashanti Ghana’s agricultural development programme, which aims to contribute to the diversification of the local economy and afforestation.

The Project, launched in 2021 in collaboration with Solidaridad West Africa, is to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation through local economic development.

It is also expected to enhance the livelihoods of beneficiaries in some municipal and district assemblies.

Pruning and harvesting tools, tablets and flipcharts were distributed to farmers in Obuasi Municipal, Obuasi East, Adansi North, Adansi South and the Adansi Asokwa districts.

Senior Manager, Sustainability at AGAG, Emmanuel Baidoo addressed an orientation program at Obuasi.

"CROPP is a demonstration of commitment on the part of AGAG to support farmers to improve productivity on their oil palm farms, expand their production by reclaiming and developing degraded lands into agroforestry oil palm farms and implement additional livelihoods," he said.

Ghana, like most sub-Saharan African countries, is predominantly agrarian, with crop production being the main driver of the agriculture sector.

More than 80% of growers are smallholder farmers, and their practices are characterized by low technology use, high rain-dependence and low adoption of irrigation.

 As part of the program, Extension Officers in the beneficiary districts have been trained in Best Oil Palm Management Practices and the use of digital tools for monitoring and reporting purposes.

 The CROPP will facilitate the setup of an oil palm nursery to supply climate resilient seedlings to farmers as well as strengthen oil palm farmer groups through the Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLAs).

 "AGA's CROPP will facilitate the setup of an oil palm nursery to supply climate resilient seedlings to farmers as well as strengthen oil palm farmer groups through the Village Savings and Loan Association (VSLAs).

Anglogold Ashanti in the five years duration of the program, will actively invest in the value chain with the aim of realising the objectives of the program," Emmanuel Baidoo said.

The Economic Development Superintendent of AngloGold Ashanti, Daniel Arthur-Bentum, said AngloGold Ashanti is responsible for mobilizing technical and financial partnerships to support the program. 

He however appealed, "to chiefs and leaders of the beneficiary communities to make available degraded sites for reclamation".

Rosemary Addico, Oil Palm Program Manager, Solidaridad West Africa, observed that, smallholder farmers have limited knowledge on best management practices.

 She noted that "the CROPP will help build the capacity of farmers to enable them adopt the right approaches to farming''.