The production of mango is set to reduce the country’s unemployment rate after the National Mango Plantation Project was launched at Bole in the Northern Region.

The project, which is expected to create jobs for over 200 exporters and 300 farmers’ groups, was launched in Bole in the Northern Region last week.

The GH¢52 million project, aimed at developing mango orchard for a five-year period, is projected to increase earnings in the non-traditional export sector, as well as enhance the country’s foreign exchange earnings.

Ghana currently exports mangoes to the European Union (EU).

They are produced by private individuals and the national project, which would take advantage of the increase in market demand, is expected to generate about 30 metric tonnes of mangoes and GH¢37 million annually.

Targeting a total of 20,000 acres, the project, which is private-led and sponsored by the Export Development and Investment Fund (EDIF), would improve the standard of living of farmers in Northern, Upper East, West, Brong Ahafo regions and the northern part of the Volta Region.

Challenges such as the lack of market knowledge, limited access to new technologies and inefficiencies in the supply chain, which hitherto prevented players in the nation’s mango sector from capitalizing on the market demand, would be addressed under the project.

In a speech read on his behalf at the launch of the project over the weekend, Vice President John Dramani Mahama, said the project would provide many opportunities to the beneficiary communities.

He entreated the people to use the project to improve their economic fortunes, noting that government would assist them to improve their production.

Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), whose speech was also read on his behalf, expressed the hope that the farmers would significantly increase production by 2015 through the support of EDIF.

He bemoaned the indiscriminate felling of trees of commercial value such as dawada and shea tree, which according to him, is one of the main challenges facing farmers in the northern regions.

He therefore called for the integration of agro-forestry and cropping systems of farming without the excessive cutting down of trees.

Mr. Ahwoi also warned that bushfires threaten the survival of the mango trees during the dry season and urged the district assemblies and the youth to create the necessary awareness and develop strategies to address the challenges.

The Northern Regional Minister, Moses Bukari Magbenba stated that the revenue returns from the local processing activity is expected to yield about GH¢8 million.

 By Emelia Ennin Abbey