Allen wants commodity boards consolidated for funding purposes

SMALLER commodity boards will be consolidated for funding purposes and the appointment of board members is in the process, Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Benny Allen says.
“Many boards require more money to fund. What we propose to do is to get the smaller boards together, to merge them,” he said.
“Rubber and spices boards will be merged so that one board is looking after the two commodities.
“It is one of our cost cutting measures.
“We will do that amendment in consultation with the respective boards’ acts.”
Allen said members of commodity boards would be appointed according to the respective board acts.
The board members will be appointed in the first quarter next year. Allen said the department was not given separate funding for plantations.
The appointment of the national plantation board for the rehabilitation of plantations will be sourced from the K50 million allocated to the National Development Bank for Small to Medium Enterprises.
“Part of that money will be accessed to assist our run-down plantations. We will work together with the national plantation agency,” Allen said.