Young Farmers In Garu District Honoured

The Garu district in the Upper East Region has honoured 15 young farmers for their contribution to ensuring food security in the area. The young farmers were among 26 best performing farmers in the district who excelled in various disciplines of farming, both crop and livestock production and were awarded prizes at the District Farmers' Day celebration at Worinkambo, in the Garu District.

Mr Samuel Kombat, a 37 years old farmer was adjudged the overall best farmer while Ms Patience Kombat and Mr Moses Akudugu, both in their 20s received best female youth farmer and best youth male farmer respectively.

Mr Dennis Asampambilla, the District Director of Agriculture, speaking at the ceremony, said the youth were the driving force for national development and their effort had shown in their commitment to projecting the country's economy through agriculture.

'The youth in this district have shown keen interest in agriculture and are playing a major role to curb food insecurity, this indicates hope for future development since sufficient food in the communities benefits all', he said.

Mr Asampambila said the farmers were supplied with improved seed, subsidized fertilizer, extension services, marketing services among others other things under the Planting for food and jobs programme.

He said about 30,000 farmers participated in this year's planting for food and jobs and more than half of them were the youth, aimed at targeting food security and income generating crops such as maize, rice, sorghum, soya bean and vegetable crops such as tomato, Onion, pepper and cabbage among others.

He said the programme had created a growing demand by farmers for improved seed and that was commendable since good harvest begins with good seeds.

Mr Emmanuel Asore Avoka, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for the area, urged the Chiefs and People to support government in the discharge of its duties as it was determined to take the agricultural sector of the country to its peak.

Mr Avoka said government attached importance to the growth of agriculture in the district and the country and urged more of the youth to engage in agricultural activities as government was introducing the planting for rural development and export with over 70,000 seedlings of cashew, to be distributed to interested farmers.

The Awards included motor tricycles, bicycles, certificates, Knap sack sprayers, pick axes, sacks, wellington boots, fertilizers, cutlasses, rain coats and hand gloves among others

Source: GNA