Nana Tuah Takyi is Atebubu-Amantin Municipal best farmer for 2021

58-year-old Nana Tuah Takyi from Fakwasi has emerged as the Atebubu-Amantin Municipal best farmer for 2021 at the 37^th farmer’s day awards held in Atebubu the municipal capital.

The winner, a middle school leaver with 28 years of farming experience cultivates 120 acres of cowpea, 40 acres of rice, 20 acres of yam, 14 acres of cashew, 12 acres of teak, 10 acres of cassava, 4 acres of groundnuts and an acre of pepper.

He also keeps 75 cattle, 40 sheep, 35 goats, 120 local fowls, 40 guinea fowls, 35 pigeons and 25 beehives.

Nana Takyi took home a certificate, a tri-cycle, one half piece wax print, 2 pairs of wellington boots, 2 knapsack sprayers, 3 bottles of weedicides and 2 each of cutlasses and bars of key soap.

In a welcome address the Atebubu-Amantin Municipal Director of the Department of Agriculture Mr. Stephen Aidoo said the theme for the celebration "Planting for Food and Jobs: Consolidating Food Systems in Ghana" cannot be a misplaced priority.

He said the flagship programme which was initiated in 2017, aims at increasing adoptability of certified seeds and fertilizers through timely access, reliable and routine technical assistance, improved market linkages in order abate price volatility to make farming both attractive and profitable.

“It is therefore only appropriate and in the right direction to consolidate the gains of the diversified food systems in a manner that will ensure maximum benefit to the millions that are engaged in agriculture. The interconnected systems and process that influence nutrition, health food, community development and agriculture as a whole are therefore key in this drive,” he noted.

The Atebubu-Amantin Municipal Chief Executive Hon. Edward Owusu said government has since 2017 taken steps to meet the country’s food security challenges through the ‘planting for food and jobs’ initiative.

“The bumper harvest recorded by farmers for the past 4 years is evident of the strides initiated by government for the sector and not a mere coincidence as some will believe,” he stated.

The MCE indicated that government and for that matter the ministry’s strategy has always been to build capacity on all fronts to enhance the adoption of technologies to boost food production and expand the raw material base for industries.

According to him, this is apparent with the construction of 30 warehouses across the country each with a 1000 metric tonnes capacity to ensure stability in prices of food and guaranteed farmer incomes”.

Fifty-nine year old Angelina Agyare from Nwowam and 42-year-old Belidon Ningtob emerged second and third respectively.

They took away assorted items including a motor bike and a double decker fridge.

Seventeen other individuals and institutions were honored in various crop and animal categories and were awarded assorted prizes including farm implements, bicycles, wax prints and agro chemicals.

The function was graced by traditional authorities from both Atebubu and Amantin.