By Isaac Arkoh
Jukwa (C/R), Dec. 05, GNA – Patrons and exhibitors at the 2022 Farmer’s Market held alongside the celebration of the 38th Farmers Day in the Central Region, have hailed the concept and called for collaborative efforts to end post-harvest losses, a major bane of farmers.
They also stressed the need for public-private partnership (PPP) to accelerate efforts at mechanizing agriculture to make the sector more attractive to the youth and reduce exports to reduce the food importation burden on the country.
While appealing to the Ministry of Agriculture to make it a biannual event, they also stressed the need for Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies to prioritise it.
The second edition of the Farmers Market exhibited the successes of the major agricultural flagship programme such as Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) launched at the beginning of the President Akufo-Addo administration in 2017.
It sought to bridge the apparent gap between farmers and markets to guarantee ready markets for produce regardless of one’s location.
The Day was on the theme: “Accelerating Agriculture Development through value addition, which saw about 30 farmers awarded for their hard work.”
The Farmers Market, among others, sought to also ensure regular engagements among agriculture value chain actors and prompt investments in the sector.
Exciting to many was the sheer quantity of affordable farm produce and a convergence where fisheries and agricultural inputs were sold at reduced prices to herald the climax of the 38th Regional Farmers Day celebration.
Major foodstuffs on display were plantain, maize, cassava, packed rice, vegetables, yam, products from aquaculture, and coconut seedlings were among the produce.
Agricultural inputs such as chemicals, farm implements, and processing machines were also exhibited by its promoters.
Narrating their impressive sales return, Mr. Daniel Ayerakwa, a dealer of Eku Juice, said sales were good and called on organizers to set up such strategic markets across the region.
He said sales picked up at 0700 hours when hundreds of people from all over the region thronged the Farmers Market section to join the celebration.
Madam Mary Darkwa, a sales attendant for Fresh Foods, producers of various farm produce was elated about sales and prayed for more.
However, he said buyers lamented the soaring prices of the eggs ranging from GHC36.00 to GHC48.00.
Mrs. Justina Marigold Assan, Central Regional Minister, Mr. Bright Wireko-Brobby, Deputy Minister of Employment and Labour Relations and the Member of Parliament for Hemang-Lower-Denkyira and a host of Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives, traditional authorities, and farmers graced the occasion.
The awards ceremony was instituted to reward the nation’s hard-working and gallant farmers and fishers for their commendable and meritorious contributions to the nation’s food security.
GNA