From Farmers` Day CelebrationsGive cocoa farmers chocolates as enticement -Best Farmer

The Brong-Ahafo Regional Best Farmer for the year 2009, Mr. Sampson Yaw Kodom, has called on the government to give cocoa farmers chocolate as an enticement on every bag of cocoa beans sold.

He said farmers should not spent much on chocolates, rather they should be made to enjoy the fruits of their labour, with free cocoa products like chocolates, as a source of motivation.

Mr. Kodom made this call, after receiving his awards as the Regional Best Farmer at the 25th Regional Farmers Day Celebration held at Bomaa in the Tano-North District, where he was given a corn mill, sewing machine, certificate, bicycle, a radio set, four cutlasses and a full piece of cloth, as prizes.

He further called on the government to review the price of cocoa, to help mitigate the burdens of farmers, and arrest the smuggling of cocoa to the neighbouring countries.

Mr. Kodom commended the government for efforts instituted to encourage farmers work harder to save the country from starvation.

He however noted that for the country to achieve its economic goals, the agricultural sector should be modernised in a mechanised way.

He said the government should continue supporting farmers with tractors and other farm inputs, to enhance the sector.

The Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, on his part, noted that concerns over low agricultural production, growth and poverty reduction, have become a topical issue worldwide, and needs to be addressed, in order to achieve food security.

According to him, the agricultural sector currently employs about 70% of the working population, and contributes 35% of the Gross Domestic Products (GDP), which makes it the main source of livelihood for the majority, either directly or indirectly. Mr. Nyamekye-Marfo reiterated that high agricultural growth could only materialise through modernisation and diversification, driven by public investment and productivity, and that modernising the agricultural sector could change the face of rural Ghana.

He assured them of the government's commitment to subsidise the cost of fertilizer at 50% of the open market price, to enable farmers improve upon their yields.

The Regional Minister registered his displeasure at the practice of some officers in charge of fertiliser distribution to farmers, stressing that there was widespread of abuse in respect of such a laudable policy to support the farmers.

He promised to do everything possible to remedy that unfortunate situation, so that farmers could enjoy the concession, which would lead to an increase in productivity.

Mr. Nyamekye-Marfo further assured them that the government would promote large scale public-private commercial farming, provide agricultural machinery and equipment, and enhance their distribution, as well as provide resources to rehabilitate irrigation schemes.

According to him, the aforementioned initiatives would be supported by the standardisation and improvement in the quality of seeds, double the production of millet and sorghum by 2012, double cropping of vegetables, and provide training to improve thet technology and knowledge content of all aspects of the food production value chain.

Kumasi
Meanwehile, Frank Mensah also reports from Kumasi that a fifty year old man from Ohwim, Mr. Andrews Amankwah, emerged the best farmer in this year's 25th Farmers' Day celebration in the Kumasi metropolis. He took home a 12-inch Sanyo television set, pieces of cloth, a bicycle, 2 Wellington boots, 10 bars of key soap, 20 weedicides, 2 bags of fertilizer, a sprayer, and a radio set as prizes for his hard work.

He was excited and extolled praises on the organisers of the awards, especially the President of the country, Professor John Evans Atta Mills, for making it possible for him to be awarded.

Other farmers were also awarded in other categories in farming, which included best vegetables, maize cassava and poultry with most significantly, the Chief of Kronom Kwapra, Nana Baffour Adu Gyamfi, emerging as the Best Sheep Farmer in Kumasi.

Giving the keynote address at the function, which took place at Ohwim last Friday, Mr. Samuel Sarpong, the Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) of Kumasi, reminded the farmers that not only does Ghana, as an agricultural country, depend heavily on the exploits of hardworking farmers its for food requirements, but also contribute to our foreign exchange earnings, to support the development of the country.

Speaking under the theme “Accelerated Agricultural Mechanisation for Food Security and Economic Transformation,” he mentioned that the nation continues to spend large sums of our scarce foreign exchange to import various food items into the country annually.

He stated: “the time has come to adopt sustainable policies and programmes that would enable the country double its productivity in agriculture.”

In view of this, he was of the conviction that the best alternatives to ensure that all Ghanaians at all times have physical and economic access to enough nutritious food to meet the daily needs for active health, was by using modern machinery and equipment, improved technologies, especially improved seeds and breeds, post harvest management to reduce losses, and irrigation to avoid the limitations imposed by rain-fed agriculture.

The Kumasi Mayor reiterated that the government was responding favourably to the changing global trends, as measures had been put in place to increase agricultural productivity across the entire sector, as highlighted in the manifesto of the National Democratic Congress in the 2010 Budget, presented by the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor to Parliament last month.

He also disclosed that the government had also supported maize farmers in the metropolis, with interest-free loans, amounting to GH¢27,500, through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, in the major maize season. He commended the farmers who benefited from the scheme last year, for paying about 85% of the credit.

The MCE however, entreated all categories of farmers, to form strong and reliable groups, in order to have access to credit to expand their businesses.

Besoro
From Besoro, near Kumawu also in the Ashanti Region, Nana Oddom reports that Mr. Opoku Asante, a 54 year old farmer from Bomeng, emerged the overall best farmer in the Sekyere Afram Plains district, during this year's Farmers Day held at Besoro last Friday.

He becomes the second best farmer, after Issaka Ibrahim, who was the district best farmer last year, after the creation of the district in March 2008. For his award, he received a 21-inch colour TV, one full piece of cloth, a pair of Wellington boots, one knapsack sprayer, and a certificate.

Mr. Asante owns a large tract of farmland, which includes 20 acres of maize, 21 acres of orange, 10 acres of palm oil and five acres of plantain. Others produce are goats, sheep, fish and about 700 birds.

The highly-elated Mr. Asante said he would work hard to become the Regional Best Farmer, come next year.

He also appealed to colleague farmers to adopt best farming practices, to enhance yield production.

Mr. Asante, who said he started farming about 14 years ago, is also an agro-chemical dealer.

About 20 farmers also received one knapsack sprayer, a pair of Wellington boots and a certificate, for their outstanding performance in the production of maize, rice, cocoa, citrus, groundnuts, cattle, birds and vegetables. Over 50 other farmers also received one cutlass each, as consolation prizes.

The District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, Mr. Jacob Kofi Danquah, wearing a splendid Kente cloth, presented the items to the best farmer and other award winners, and entreated the farmers to liaise with agric extension officers to increase production.