Members of 4-H Ghana Clubs in basic schools in the Eastern Region have cultivated 50 acres of vegetables and 20 acres of maize under the Enterprise Gardening project.
4-H Ghana is a youth based organization which focuses on practical training of the youth to assume leadership roles in their communities and to prepare them for the future.
This was disclosed by the Project Officer of 4-H, Mr. Ofosu Asamoah, at a briefing of the board meeting of 4-H, Ghana at Koforidua.
He said the project which is being sponsored by Dupon-Pioneer, a seed company of the United States of America, was being implemented in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and was aimed at introducing the youth of the country to high yielding hybrid seeds and modern agricultural practices to increase their yield and income levels.
Mr. Asamoah said the hybrid seed maize provided for the school children are expected to yield 40 mini-bags of maize per acre if the youth involved maintain all the agricultural practices introduced to them.
He said apart from the maize, the students produced lettuce, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, sweet pepper, onions and French beans.
Mr. Asamoah said the members of the club are expected to send some of their harvest home to their parents to cook for them and sell part to serve as revolving fund for the sustainability of the project.
He said in all, there are 4-H Clubs in 120 basic schools in 12 districts and 48 out of school Clubs in the Eastern Region.
Mr. Asamoah said 29 Clubs of the out of school youth group cultivated 54 acres of maize some of which they had started harvesting.
The Executive Director of 4-H, Ghana, Mr. Appiah Kweku Boateng, said the 4-H -Dupon-Pioneer Enterprise Gardening project is for two years and next year 60 more school 4-H Clubs would be added to the project.
He said the ultimate aim of the project is to train the future farmers of Africa in the use of hybrid seeds and most modern agricultural practices to increase their earnings and standard of living.**
