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The Presbyterian Church of Ghana - Akyem Abuakwa Presbytery, as part of measures to help alleviate poverty amongst its members through an economic empowerment programme led by the Presbytery Chairperson, Rev. Dr. Seth Kissi, has distributed 40000 oil palm seedlings to its members in about 15 districts of the church who are into agriculture.

This is exceeding the initial target of 30000 seedlings every year.

This year, 530 congregants who are farmers in about 15 districts of the church that is Abomosu, Kade, Akyem Akropong, Anum Asamankese, Asuom, Osenase, New Abirem, Ofosu, Anyinam, Kyebi and Kukurantumi benefited from the distribution of the 40,000 oil palm seedlings for free.

Similarly, 40000 oil palm seedlings were distributed to 535 church members last year as first badge of beneficiaries of the three-year project, therefore making a total of 80000 oil palm seedlings within two years.

This forms part of the broader vision of the Akyem Abuakwa Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana to better their lives, hence the introduction of a three-year project targeted to nurse and supply free 30000 oil palm seedlings every year which begun in 2022 making a total of 90000 to its members within the three years.

Prior to the commencement of the oil palm seedlings project, the Akyem Abuakwa Presbytery had already distributed about 5600 coconut seedlings to congregations who had lands for the cultivation of coconut plantation in 2021.

Speaking in an interview, the Chairperson of the Akyem Abuakwa Presbytery, Rev. Dr. Seth Kissi said "one of the visions of the Presbytery is to help its members work and earn income so that they also live better lives whiles on earth through this economic empowerment program".

"We noticed that there are no big companies in the Presbytery but there are a lots of land readily available for farms so we decided to support the members who are into farming with free oil palm and coconut seedlings every year to empower them and to eradicate extreme poverty in the church going forward", he said.

" We are targeting oil palm farming in these areas because of its economical value which will enable the farmers to generate a lot of income for themselves, their families and the church", he added.

According to him, the vision of the Akyem Abuakwa Presbytery is to complement government in the distribution of seedlings to farmers to improve agricultural production while encouraging the youth into farming.

Rev. Dr. Seth Kissi encouraged the beneficiaries to adopt proper farming methods to nurture the seedlings in order to achieve the full benefit of its intended purpose.