The 38th edition of the Farmers’ Day celebration was held last Friday throughout the country. In the Ashanti Region the event was organised in all districts to celebrate hard working farmers who excelled in their respective areas of operation.
The theme for this year’s Farmers’ Day celebration was: “Accelerating agricultural development through value addition.”
At Kronum Kwapra where the Suame Municipal Assembly observed the occasion, 54-year-old and a form four leaver, Mr. Francis Asare, was adjudged the Overall Suame Municipal Best Farmer.
He owns a 5,500 birds poultry, 50 sheep, 20 goats, maize farm, yam, cashew plantation 3 acres, mango plantation 2 acres, corn mill and a mechanised borehole to supply water for his community.
Madam Victoria Pokuaa was adjudged Best Person Living with Disability into Food Processing, while the Best Non Traditional Farmer went to Mr. Kwadow Akowuah, with the Best Poultry Farmer prize going to Madam Rose Mary Dabo.
Ernest Best Anane reports that Mr. Maxwell Ofosu Kwakye, Suame Municipal Chief Executive, on the occasion entreated Ghanaians to venture into the practice of backyard gardening to enhance affordable food security.
He noted that backyard garden could be crops, livestock or poultry farming, which, he said, could even complement the government’s flagship programmes, Planting for Food and Jobs and Rearing for Export.
According to him, farming was not meant for only uneducated persons, says everyone was capable of venturing into agriculture, irrespective of the persons educational background.
He noted that considering the current increases of food prices across the globe, it was long overdue for everyone to revise their notes in the quest of reducing the cost of food in our various communities, and for that matter, the need to venture into backyard garden.
Mr. Abass Muhammed, Suame Municipal Director of Agriculture, also reiterated that the supply of free improved seeds and seedlings would help farmers to expand their farms.
He indicated that the programme was also empowering women in agriculture who embark on soya bean, groundnut, plantain, mushroom and coconut to establish soya milk, groundnut oil, coconut oil in large quantity and in a more sustainable manner to improve their living standards, and also cater for their families.
