By Edward Dankwah
Accra, Oct 31, GNA – Six corporate organisations have donated some items to support the Ministry of Foods and Agriculture towards the 40th National Farmers Day Celebration.
The organisations include Chemico Limited, Agriseed Limited, Broonest Company Limited, RMG Ghana, Nanam Ventures Limited and Interplast Limited.
The Ministry received 15pcs spraying machines, ISO NPK fertilizer (3-1-3), all amounting to GHS 373,600 from Chemico Limited, 100pcs of T shirt and a cheque of GHS7,500 from Agriseed Limited and a cheque of GHS 20,000 from Broonest Company Limited.
RMG Ghana donated GHS40,000 worth of items and a cheque for GHS10,000, Nanam Ventures Limited donated 30pcs Fertilizers for all crops, 10pcs spraying machines and a cheque for GHS20,000, and Interplast Limited also donated GHS17,000 worth of items and a cheque of GHS10,000.
Mr Paul Siameh, Acting Chief Director, Ministry of Foods and Agriculture, expressed appreciation to all the organisations for recognising the contributions of farmers in Ghana.
The Acting Director said there was still an opportunity for those who were unable to make it this early to still support in the way they could, as farmers were truly worthy of commendation and praise for their invaluable contributions in feeding the country.
He said the schedule would follow a similar pattern to previous years, particularly last year, with a five-day pre-award event.
“This will feature the Agrifest celebration, showcasing a variety of agricultural products presented by research institutions and key stakeholders across the agricultural value chain”
“So, they will come and display what they have, what they can do, and then what we should expect from them,” he added.
Mr Siameh said the programme would commence on November 4, 2024, and that awardees were expected to arrive the day prior, where they would participate in visits to selected tourist sites as part of the pre-event activities.
The Acting Director said Ghana was emerging from a period of near-drought conditions, with approximately two and a half months of dry weather impacting the northern sector.
He said the last eight regions from the transition zones, as well as the five northern regions of the country, faced significant drought-like challenges, which understandably affected agricultural productivity and production in these areas.
“This serves as a reminder for all of us to be prepared to adopt climate-resilient measures. By doing so, we can better withstand challenges such as drought, a key consequence of climate variability,” he added.
Mr Siameh said the Ministry was constructing dams and irrigation systems in the Afram Plains and rehabilitating irrigation schemes in several other areas.
He said they believed that these initiatives were essential in strengthening the resilience of farmers against near-drought conditions.
GNA