Accra, Dec. 02, GNA – Mr Samuel Nii Adjei Tawiah the Korle Klottey Municipal Chief Executive Executive has urged individuals and organisations to practise urban farming.
He said unfortunately the municipality was constrained with farmlands to be able to take the advantage of all the benefits that emanated from agriculture policies introduced by the government.
He urged the youth and others interested in urban farming to venture into backyard and organic farming which did not require the use of chemicals and generous size of lands.
He also encouraged people to venture into smart-urban agriculture, where farmers were expected to explore open spaces available for agriculture purposes and was optimistic that,it would improve the local economy.
Mr Tawiah said the municipality in conjunction with the Ministry of Transport were constructing a beach project at the Osu Beach, which includes the building of Cold Stores, Ice-making facility, Premix Fuel depot, Water-Closet facility, Fish market and a generator plant house.
He said the project was 70 per cent complete, and was expected to contribute positively to the economic development of the people in the area and beyond.
He advised stakeholders and development partners to consider investing in value addition of agricultural commodities which will ensure food availability and reduce post-harvest losses and food shortages.
Zenator Agyeman-Rawlings, Member of Parliament for the Klottey-Korley Constituency in her remarks said, she was happy that most individuals were promoting urban agriculture and pleaded with the assemblies to make provision for individuals and cooperative farmers to have pieces of lands to cultivate crops and rear animals within the urban centres.
“We all witnessed what happened during the pandemic, when vehicles could not come to Accra from the hinterlands at some point, and how it affected people’s ability to feed themselves.” “That must be a recent reminder of the importance of being able to ensure that food supply was not interrupted by any means,” she said.
She congratulated farmers for their challenging work and dedication for ensuring availability of food and source of income for economic development.
Mrs Sylvia Edem Agyeman, the Municipal Agric Director said, Ghana since 1985, had been honouring its farmers and fisherfolks and this underscored the importance government attached to agriculture as a whole and how it held its farmers and fishermen in high esteem as key players in improving the economic development of the nation.
She said the department was ready to train and equip the youth in the agricultural sector, by creating agro fairs to highlight and sell value added products to the public occasionally.
Mr Stephen Nartey was adjudged the overall best farmer, and took away a deep freezer, a wax print fabric, 2 aluminium pans, a knapsack sprayer, 12 cutlass and 2 field boot, while Mrs Joyce Badger wan the best fish processor and took away a freezer, a half piece of fabric cloth, 10 boots, 2 aluminium pans, 6 cutlass and a wheelbarrow.
GNA