The Chinese Ambassador in Ghana, Jung Gong, has cut the sod for work to begin on the Gong Agricultural Project at Anyaboni near Asesewa in the Upper Manya District.
The project, which is being supported by the Ghana Chinese Friendship Association, is for crop production under irrigation on 500 acres of land and aqua culture promotion in the area.
Speaking at the event the Member of Parliament for Upper Manya Krobo, Mr Tetteh Kavianu, said the project was an effort to raise income levels of farmers in the area, reduce poverty, malnutrition and child labour in the project area.
He said the project would also introduce new fishing methods to the fisher folks in the area and appealed to the community to see the project as their own.
Mr Jung urged Ghana to focus on agriculture since it was the basis of the economy and a catalyst for industrialization and building of a strong democracy.
He said the Chinese were willing to share experience and work together with the agricultural sector to strengthen the China/Ghana relationship and help develop the country.
Ms Helen Adwoa Ntoso, the Eastern Regional Minister, said the government would monitor the project to promote agriculture and develop the community and appealed to farmers in the project area to take the project seriously to help reduce poverty in the area.
Source: GNA