The former Member of Parliament (MP) for Asunafo North Constituency in the Brong Ahafo Region, Robert Sarfo Mensah, has been named the 2017 Best Farmer for the Asutifi North District on the occasion of the 33rd Farmer’s Day Celebration and awards ceremony.
The regional ceremony took place at Ntotroso on the theme:”Farming for Foods and Jobs”.
Robert Sarfo Mensah was presented with a tricycle, two spraying machines, two pairs of Wellington boots, three cutlasses, two bars of key soap and a certificate as his prize.
Anthony Mensah, the Asutifi North District Chief Executive (DCE) who presided over the event in the region, congratulated all farmers in the district for their invaluable contributions to producing food for the country.
He noted that, government is making efforts to invest in agriculture with its industrialization drive to create the much-needed link between industry and agriculture.
He cited the government’s flagship programmes such as planting for foods and jobs, one district-one factory, one district-one warehouse, one district-one dam, and one constituency, one million dollars as examples of plans to improve agriculture in the country.
He also encouraged the farmers to take advantage of the initiatives.
He noted that the Assembly had taken delivery of fertilizers and improved seeds at a subsidized price for over 2,000 farmers, under the planting for food and jobs programme, and regretted that only 412 farmers have so far assessed the facility.
The DCE observed that over-dependence on traditional methods of farming remained a hindrance to accelerated agricultural growth in the area, and called on farmers to embrace and adopt modern farming techniques to improve their farming activities.
The District Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), James Adu, in his welcome address, lamented the dwindling contribution of the agricultural sub-sector to the country’s GDP, and blamed the situation on inadequate extension officers and logistical constraints.
Whilst commending farmers in the district for producing enough to feed residents, he tasked them to venture into the production of yam and rice whose production is on the low in the district.
The District Best Farmer, who is also the current Director General of the National Sports Council, thanked the government and pledged to personally sponsor an award for the best backyard garden farmer next year, as his contribution to the development of agriculture in the country.
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By: Mashoud Kombat/citifmonline.com/Ghana