Bayive (VR), Dec. 3, GNA – Mr Solomon Awudi, a 45-year-old farmer, has been adjudged the overall best farmer in the Akatsi South Municipality.
Mr Awudi, also a resident of Kpodzivi, a community within Akatsi South and regent of Togbui Ahorsu III, chief of Kpodzivi, was handed the overall winner at the 37th farmers day celebration held at Bayive, a farming community within the Akatsi Municipality of the Volta region.
On crops production, he has 16 acres of maize farm, 10 acres of Cowpea, 8 acres of groundnut, eight acres of garden eggs, four acres of pepper, five acres of okro, five acres of cassava, and four acres of tomato farms.
Mr Awudi has 25 local fowls, 10 sheep, 70 cattle, 60 Doves, and 15 goats under livestock rearing.
He received a certificate of recognition, a tricycle, a knapsack sprayer, a pair of farming boots, a box of organic fertilizer, two machetes, and a wireless stereo radio set.
Mr Awudi on behalf of the awardees expressed gratitude to the organisers of the event and pledged to do more in the agricultural sector.
He appealed to the youth to venture into Agriculture to better their lots.
A 36 year old Sisieve Beauty of Kpevi, a farming community within Akatsi South was given the second runner-up position, with Mrs Florence Tugbah, a 47-year-old farmer from Sremanu capturing the first runner-up position respectively.
Mrs Sisieve, among other things, has 30 local fowls, 10 goats, a cattle under the livestock category. She also has 15 acres of sweet potato farms, seven acres of maize, eight acres of watermelon, and four acres of tomatoes.
She received a bicycle, two machetes, a pair of farming boots, half a piece of cloth, and a box of organic fertilizer.
Mrs Tugbah, on her part, has 20 local fowls, 4 cattle, 2 goats under the livestock category.
On crops production, she has 17 acres of maize farms, 8 acres of pepper, one acre of okro, and 4 acres of the garden egg.
She received an Apsonic motorbike, two machetes, a knapsack sprayer, half piece of cloth, and a box of organic fertilizer.
Mr Alorzuke Kofi Michael, a 42-year-old agriculture officer, was recognised as the Best Agricultural Extension Agent (AEA) in the area.
Other awards went to Mr Johnson Agbemazi, best Crop farmer, Mr Kinsley Daniel Kofi Sunu, best Livestock farmer, and Madam Happy Badasu as the best farmer with disability.
Mr Martin Kofitsey Nyahe, the Municipal Chief Executive(MCE) for the area, urged the youth to take advantage of the government’s flagship programmes such as the Planting for Food and Jobs and the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) to improve their livelihoods.
“The Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) programme is a Government flagship programme intended to encourage Ghanaians to take farming more seriously than in the recent past by making it a respectable and profitable venture which would create more jobs,” he said.
On the PERD initiative, he said the Assembly procured and distributed a total of 1300 mango seedlings and 400 coconut seedlings to 73 farmers.
Mr Nyahe further said the government recognised the significant roles of farmers in the national economy.
Mr Bernard Ahiafor, Member of Parliament for the area, disclosed, he was always ready to work hand in hand with the MCE to bring development to the Agricultural and other sectors in the area.
He called on the government to fulfill its pledges to the Agricultural sector.
Mr Charles K Grunitzky, Municipal Director of Agriculture, described the Planting for Food and Jobs program as an intervention that had increased yield and improved the livelihood of farmers.
On rice production, he stated, Akatsi South started rice production in 2012 on a 5-acre plot but has seen an increase in some years later.
“Five years later, over 400 acres were cultivated. This figure doubled in two years in 2019 to over 800 acres. Today, over 1,039 hectares have been cultivated with a production of over 3,117 metric tons.”
Mr Grunitzky further appealed to authorities to address the bad state of some Dams and Dugouts in the area.
“Our first challenge has to do with our Dams and Dugouts within the farming communities. Existing ones are in very bad conditions.”
He also called for more staff in the Agriculture office and logistics like motorbikes and office equipment to improve work and service delivery to farmers.
He further commended the farmers for their hard work and urged them to do more.
The 37th edition of the National Farmers’ Day celebration is on the theme “Planting for Food and Jobs – Consolidating food systems in Ghana.”
Togbui Ahui III, chief of Suipe-Ahiakpakope, and chairman of the event called on the youth to venture into Agri-business.
In attendance were Assembly members, Heads of Department, farmers, and others.
Source: Ghana News Agency
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