An emerging Agro company, Suncity Farms, is positioning itself to contribute towards increasing Ghana’s food production capacity to curb importation of processed foods. 

The company, situated in the Afadzato South District of the Volta Region, also aims at lessening the burden of perennial animal feed shortage and reducing the unemployment rate in the country.

Management of Suncity Farms has acquired over 500 acres of farm lands at Ve-Agbome to cultivate various crops for processing. 

Though the company is largely into cashew production, it has employed the intercropping farming method. 

On the same plantation with cashew are; ginger, pepper, maize and okro among other crops. 

At Suncity Farms, producing organic crops is a priority. That is why farm managers adopted the use of sawdust mixed with animal droppings. 

The material is spread around the base of the plants to prevent weeds, maintain soil moisture, keep the roots cooler and provide the crop with nutrients. 

An extension officer with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Joseph Osei, who has been designated to monitor and advise managers of the farm, explained the mixed cropping method was chosen to cut down on cost and guarantee bumper yields.

“These materials that we mix with the sawdust contain high content nitrogen, we provide them under the cashew plant. It provides moisture, dissolves and adds nutrient to the soil.” 

Multipurpose factories to process the produce from the farm fields into finished products are under construction.  8 structures will be erected here to house different food processing plants. 

A unit would contain about 4,000 tons capacity warehouse, a processing unit, offices and staff apartments. 

There would also be a packaging unit, a quality control unit, a multipurpose sports complex, and a health facility for use by the staffs. 

The Special Aide to the Chief Executive Officer of Suncity Farms, George Glory, hinted that his entity hopes to contribute to ending the country’s perennial animal feed shortage, by engaging in production of the products to feed the Ghanaian market. 

He indicated that they would work with the relevant authorities to ensure food produced by the company meets international standards. 

“We are seeking a licence from Ghana Food and Drugs Authority and Ghana Standards Authority. We want the team to visit the farm, test the products and advise us on what to do to meet international standards.” 

He, therefore, appealed to the government to give his entity some tax exemptions on the machineries that would be imported for the 8 factories that would be established. 

The MP for Afadzato South, Angela Oforiwa Alorwu-Tay, who toured the farm was enthused by the level of investment made by owners of Suncity Farms, aiming at creating jobs to alleviate poverty. 

She promised to play an intermediary role to ensure Suncity Farms receive some government interventions to cushion their activities and ensure they achieved their desired goals.

“I am a friend to the Agric Committee in Parliament, I will invite the Committee members to tour the farm, so that we can ask for some tax exemptions for him”, she said. 

Madam Alorwu-Tay, who promised occasional supply of farm tools and equipment to the workers, planted some coconut trees in support of government’s Greening Ghana project. 

Currently, Suncity Farms has provided jobs to some 500 residents in the area and hopes to employ more farm and factory hands when it starts full operations.