By Richard Kusi, GNA
Akrofuom (Ash), Dec. 3, GNA – Mr Morro Fuseini, a 45-year-old farmer from Adamso-Nyamebekyere in the Akrofuom District of the Ashanti Region, has been adjudged the District Best Farmer.
Mr Fuseini, with 25 years farming experience, has 14 acres of oil palm, three acres each of cassava and plantain, a cocoa plantation, and livestock.
He was presented with a motorcycle, two sprayers, 10 cutlasses, a 40-inch television set, and 12 pieces of wax print.
Fourteen other outstanding farmers and agricultural officers were also recognised during the 39th National Farmers’ Day celebration held at Takyikrom in the district.
Mr Alex Blankson, the Member of Parliament for the area, stressed the importance of the Farmers’ Day, which sought to motivate farmers to produce more to ensure food security.
He commended the Akrofuom farmers, including the District Chief Executive, Dr Maurice Jonas Woode, a fish and cocoa farmer, for their immense contributions in providing food for the people and growing the economy.
The Government had put various interventions in place to improve agriculture, he said, and urged the farmers to take advantage of those programmes to increase output.
Mr Blankson urged farmers to stay motivated, work harder after receiving the awards, and avoid complacency to increase their chances of being nominated for future Farmers’ Day events.
He said the District Assembly would provide coconut seedlings to farmers every year, while part of the Minerals Development Fund was being used to supply palm nut seedlings to the farmers.
He pledged to provide between 25,000 – 30,000 palm nut seedlings personally to the farmers to enable them to plant more and supply raw materials to the proposed palm oil factory in the district.
Dr Woode, on his part, emphasised the district’s significant contribution to cocoa production in the country and called for support from COCOBOD to enhance their work.
Under the Planting for Food and Jobs Phase II the focus was on facilitating farmers’ access to quality seedlings, farming implements, financial support, and improved marketing opportunities, he said, and urged the youth to engage in farming as a lucrative livelihood.
For the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) programme, the Akrofuom District Assembly had distributed 75,200 coconut and 165,000 palm tree seedlings to farmers for free.
He said markets were being built while road infrastructure was being improved to aid the transportation and sale of agricultural products in the district.
Mr Richard Amo Koranteng, the District Director of Agriculture, said the theme for this year’s Farmers Day: “Dlivering Smart Solutions for Sustainable Food Security and Resilience,” reflected the Government’s commitment to ensuring the success of agriculture in Ghana.
GNA