By Jones Anlimah
The Volta Regional House of Chiefs has announced a strategic plan to transform the region’s economy by prioritizing cassava production, with the support of experts from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
The initiative, announced by the President of the House Togbe Tapre hodo IV, during a meeting aims to harness the region’s agricultural potential, particularly in cassava, which experts believe could rival the economic value of gold production.
Togbe Tapre Hodo IV, emphasized the importance of tapping into the expertise of KNUST professionals, particularly experts in cassava production. According to him and with the assistance of these experts the region could rival the wealth generated by gold mining if it fully maximizes its potential in commercial cassava farming.
“We met such renowned experts as one who is an expert in the production of cassava and one very interesting thing he told us was that if we could only focus on the production of cassava alone in our region, we could match those who are producing gold,” Togbe stated, underscoring the transformative power of modern agriculture.
He also highlighted that the reliance on traditional farming tools like the hoe and cutlass has hindered progress, keeping many communities locked in subsistence farming. “You all admit that in this day and age of the 21st century let me ask; how much we can produce using the hoe and cutlass. That’s why almost invariably we are only left with subsistence farming,” Togbe Tapre Hodo IV added.
To further this vision, a scientific committee within the House of Chiefs, which would operate alongside existing committees such as the Standing Committee, the Research Committee, and the Welfare Committee will be constituted. The Scientific Committee would include the KNUST experts and other professionals from the region, with the aim of leveraging scientific knowledge to accelerate economic development.
In this forward-thinking initiative, the house is committed to pooling local expertise and international knowledge to help change the region’s economic fortunes, particularly through modernized cassava farming.
“This is a collective effort to ensure our region’s growth as one unit. We must embrace the 21st century’s advancements to move beyond subsistence farming and explore new frontiers in agriculture,” Togbe Hodo remarked.
With this renewed focus, the Volta Region hopes to boost production, create jobs, and improve the livelihoods of its citizens by elevating cassava farming to a competitive, large-scale industry.
