24 Farmers Receive Awards in Ellembelle District
A-39-year old herbalist from Ankagyare near Aluku, Mr.Mustapha Awuni has been adjudged the overall best farmer at the 32nd national farmers celebration day at Aiyinasi in the Ellembelle District.
He took home a mini-tractor motor vehicle valued at GHC14,000,10 machetes,a solar lamp,wellington boots,a cloth,6 bags of fertilizers and a T-shirt.
The overall second District best farmer went to Mr.Daniel Boateng who took home a motor cycle,a wellington boot,4 machetes,a knapsack sprayer and a bar of key soap.
In all,24 outstanding farmers in the District received awards in different categories with all other farmers at the awards ground taking home a machete and a bar of soap for their contributions to the development of Agriculture.
This year's celebration,is under the theme,"Agriculture:A Business Response To Economic Growth"Addressing the gallant farmers,the Member of Parliament for Ellembelle,Mr. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah acknowledged the pivotal role farmers play to the socio-economic development of the nation with its contribution of 40% to the Gross Domestic Product(GDP).
He said to boost farming activities in the area,the Menzezor Agricultural Research Institute would be revived next year adding that the Ellembelle Food Bank initiative which formed part of his manifesto would come into force next year to serve as a buffer stock to farmers.
"The Food Bank would not allow farm produce to go waste as farmers would have market and value for their products",Mr.Buah assured.
Mr. Buah who is also the Minister for Petroleum,said Ellembelle had been chosen as a cocoa producing District hence the construction of the Aiyinasi-Samreboi cocoa growing roads.
He urged farmers to conform to the weather patterns in a bid to reap bumper harvest.He noted with concern that problems such as bush fires and lack of proper fertilizer application as manure to crops was also a major challenge facing farmers.
The MP advised farmers to venture into livestock production as 70% of the product is imported.He however asked farmers to form co-operative unions to access loans to boost farming activities.
The District Director of Agriculture,Mr.Bernard Donkor said government would continue to invest more in the sector to ensure food security and food sufficiency
He said government had embarked upon a pilot project towards the vaccination of livestock to improve the healthy conditions of pigs .He bemoaned that the District could only boast of 3 Agricultural extension officers to inspect farming activities which was a major setback.
An Assistant Director in charge of the Coastal Sustainable Landscape Project,Mr.Emmanuel Ntiwul said his outfit had embarked upon a climate smart vegetable production to ensure that farmers do not apply contaminated chemicals to produce vegetables.
Later in an interview,the District best farmer advised the youth to go into Agriculture to reduce poverty and better their living conditions.