China introduces technology to improve farming at Aveyime

Farmers at Aveyime in the North Tongu District of the Volta Region would soon improve upon their yields with the introduction of Chinese farming techniques.

These include the use of solar power in irrigation, food conservation methods for farm animals for continued food supply during the dry season, and improved animal stocks for both breeding and consumption.

Mr Sun Liang, the Agricultural Researcher at China Geo Engineering Co-operation (CGEC), told journalists during a media socialisation tour at Aveyime that the CGEC, which had been in the country for the past 20 years, found through its research that Ghana had tremendous potential in the agricultural sector.

He said following this the CGEC established the Aveyime Harvest Farm in 2010 to serve as a model farm and a research centre to facilitate the introduction of improved farming methods within the district.

“This would be done through bringing in Chinese agricultural experts to share their expertise with their counterparts here,” he said.

“We would aim at having world class agricultural facilities here that could match up to the best and most sophisticated in China,” he said.

Mr Liang said the Chinese Government had an agenda to support the agricultural sector in Africa and would, therefore, build 100 of such centres in Africa.

So far research was being done on the introduction of solar lamps and a machine from China that could process grass and make it more attractive to livestock even after it had been preserved during the dry season had also been acquired for the farm, he said.

Other innovations are the production of better fish (tilapia) stocks in terms of size and the ability to produce.

He said the entire project was being funded solely by the CGEC, including the accommodation and salaries of the Chinese experts, adding that the Government of Ghana played its part “by granting us the permission and the land”.

Mr Liang said: “Our sole aim is to create enough profit out of this project to serve our mutual needs.”

The CGEC’s mother company is the China Energy Conservation and Environmental Protection Group, a leading solar energy producer in China.

Source: GNA