Anglogold Ashanti launches 'Obuasi Goes Agro' programme

Mining giants AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) Ghana have launched their agrobusiness programme dubbed ‘Obuasi Goes Agro (OGA)’ in Adaase, a farming community in Obuasi. The OGA programme is in sync with government’s Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) programme, which aims to promote food security and immediate availability of selected food crops on the market. The OGA programmme is one of the flagship socio-economic development interventions of AngloGold Ashanti which is part of their three-year Social Management Plan aimed towards the socio-economic development of Obuasi communities to contribute to the diversifying local economy through the design and implementation of innovative interventions in collaboration with stakeholders. The Senior Sustainability Manager for AngloGold, Ashanti Emmanuel Baidoo, in his address, said the mine has committed over GH¢2 milllion in its current three-year Social Management Plan budgeted for Agriculture. He revealed that OGA has provided direct employment to at least 90 farming households and has put 170 acres of lands under cultivation supporters by an irrigation system in their host communities. Speaking on partnership, he said OGA is being partnered with KB Agricare and Evergreen Ghana Initiative (both Obuasi-based private Agro business) and the department of Agriculture, Obuasi Municipal Assembly. He added that aside OGA, Anglogold Ashanti is working with other partners to develop an oil palm outgrower project to commence next year and also exploring collaborative opportunities to identify other agro-based initiatives that can help drive our economic diversification agenda for Obuasi. Mr Baidoo stated that their main challenge is illegal mining and called on the chiefs to help them in fighting it. To make the OGA programme more effective and promote agriculture in Obuasi, AGA donated a brand new motor bike and desk top computer to the Department of Agriculture of the Obuasi Municipal Assembly. The launch was graced by chiefs, staffs of AGA, farmers of the host community and other dignitaries. Source: editors.3news.com|Ghana