An understanding has been reached towards that effect and an Memorandum of Understanding was signed here in the city hotel on Friday by Mr. RSN Raju, Managing Director of Manasa Group and Maj. (Dr.) Mustapha Ahmed, Minister of State in charge of Development Authorities, Office of the President, Government of Ghana, witnessed by Mr. Danse Samson Salifu, Director of Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), Government of Ghana.
Manasa Group is today a major producer of lemon grass oil in India. It cultivates large tracts of land through contract farming with tribal farmers in Odisha, and small farmer groups in Andhra Pradesh and Malawi (southern Africa).
SADA is an independent agency in the Republic of Ghana with its main thrust on coordinating a comprehensive development agenda that will address the growth and sustainable development of the northern Ghanaian economy into a regional nexus of increased productivity.
The Government of Ghana established the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) by an Act of Parliament on 17 September 2010 known as The Savannah Accelerated Development Authority Act 2010 to address the issues of growth and sustainable development to both increase incomes among the poorest people within the SADA Enclave, and transform the northern Ghanaian economy and society into a regional nexus of increased productivity of food.
“In this respect SADA is pursuing a number of projects, in which Manasa Group is participating as a partner on mutually beneficial basis”, informed Mr. RSN Raju while addressing a press conference immediately after signing of MoU.
Adding further Mr. Raju stated that Manasa Group and SADA are entering into a partnership to set up Integrated Agriculture Enterprises within the SADA Enclave of Ghana, comprising of agriculture and related activities which will address the following objectives of SADA:
a) Translate the vision of the Government of Ghana through modernized agriculture culminating in a structurally transformed economy and evident in food security, employment opportunities and reduced poverty.
b) Create a sustainable model for agriculture, including organic farming, which can have a significant impact on the socio-economic development and rural livelihood in various regions of the country.
c) Mitigate effects of climate change through agriculture and move towards carbon-friendly agriculture practices by choosing appropriate technology for the local circumstances and climate-proofed for adaptation.
d) Emerge as an incubation centre to empower local population through training and knowledge transfer and transforming them into progressive farmers contributing for nation building.
Manasa will work closely with local partners M/s. Wynstons Ltd. in Ghana who will extend local support, including, facilitating resource mobilization, logistics and coordinate ground level activities, which would enable in successful implementation of the project.
“Our responsibilities include transfer of technology, implement global best practises to achieve defined objectives, source and procure inputs and subsequently develop these inputs at the integrated agriculture farm for supply to other farms, bring global experts, design, implement, operate & manage the farm, impart training in modern agricultural practices to local population to empower them to undertake individual farm related occupation and help the government create small clusters of individual farms operated by trained farmers, thus generating sustainable self employment and significantly improving the food security for the country”, Mr. Raju added.
Speaking on the occasion Maj. (Dr.) Mustapha Ahmed said that “as per the MoU the Government of Ghana will provide the land in preferred location on long term basis, provide/facilitate funding, provide hand holding support for all statutory approvals and government related works, facilitate in commissioning and managing the integrated farm and achieving the set objectives”.
Manasa made a small beginning in 2005 with a group of professional people and started aromatic crop cultivation as an R&D activity. This expanded into commercial cultivation and today Manasa is a leading diversified agri-business group. Over 8 consistent years of growth, it is today a major producer of lemon grass oil in India. “Our efforts have been seen and recognised by state governments and we have been allotted additional large tracts of land to be cultivated by the tribal farmers under Manasa’s supervision. Our activities are spread across 4 states on our own and through contract production. This is besides our foray into Africa. We aim to leverage globally accepted agribusiness practices, best fit technologies to enhance income opportunities for farmers”, informed Mr. Raju.
