Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia commissioned the Walewale Watermelon Factory located in the North East Region of Ghana. To be specific, the factory is focused on adding value to locally grown watermelon, which will complement peasant farming activities in the area and improve employment and economic opportunities.
During the commissioning ceremony held last Thursday, Dr. Bawumia reassured that his government was committed to ensuring agricultural development and, importantly, value chain creation in the country. "This factory testifies to the vision of diversifying our economy and empowering local farmers through agro-processing," he said, emphasizing that the government's policies were aimed at increasing the efficiency of the agricultural sector, with concomitant economic benefits accruing to the people in the rural areas.
The processing plant, a first in the region, is designed to process watermelon into various products such as juices, jams, and dried snacking, thereby reducing to the barest minimum fruits that go to waste. It is expected to create over 500 direct and indirect jobs for the people of Walewale and neighboring communities. Dr. Bawumia indicated that such a factory aligns with the government's initiative on "One District, One Factory", which is geared toward industrializing the country to stop rural-urban migration by creating economic opportunities in the countryside.
Peasant farmers, who have been struggling with low prices for their produce, hailed the opening of the factory as a game changer. For Mohammed Alhassan, a watermelon farmer from Walewale, he said, "This factory will change everything for us. We will no longer worry about our produce going to waste, and the factory will provide a reliable market for our crops." Another farmer, Fatimatu Sulemana, expressed hope that the factory would improve access to modern farming techniques and training, further boosting productivity.
The commissioning of the Walewale Watermelon Factory speaks volumes for the government's desire to lead by example with more such projects around the country, further exemplifying that value addition to agriculture has much to offer in economic development and rural empowerment.
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