By Regina Atule
Larabanga (S/R), Nov 09, GNA – A total of 48 farmers have been awarded during this year’s National Farmers’ Day celebrations in the West Gonja Municipality of the Savannah Region.
The West Gonja Municipal Assembly presented the awards to 18 farmers whilst Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, Member of Parliament for Damongo Constituency, presented Special Awards to 30 other farmers during the celebrations in the Municipality, held at Larabanga.
Mr Abdulai Hassan, a 52-year-old crops and livestock farmer from Larabanga, was adjudged the West Gonja Municipal Best Farmer of the Year.
He received a tricycle, boxes of weedicides, cutlasses, a knapsack sprayer, wellington boots amongst others as his prize.
Mr Fusheini Adams was adjudged first runner up and Mr Iddi Immurana was adjudged second runner up during the awards and each of them received a motorbike, weedicides, knapsack sprayer, fertilizers, cutlasses, and wellington boots, amongst others.
Other categories of the awards included best livestock farmer, best yam farmer, best maize farmer, best female farmer, best male farmer, best extension agent amongst others.
Mr Karimu Musah Kusubari, West Gonja Municipal Chief Executive, speaking during the awards, congratulated the winners for their contribution to food security in the municipality and the country as a whole.
He announced that “Since the launch of the Planting for Food and Jobs phase two, the West Gonja Municipal Assembly, through the Department of Agriculture, successfully received and distributed agricultural inputs to 1,093 farmers within the Municipality.”
He added that “Each farmer received two bags of 50kg NPK fertilizer, one bag of Urea, and 10kg of maize seeds. In all, 2,186 bags of NPK fertilizer (50kg each), 1,093 bags of Urea and 10,930kg of maize seeds. All these inputs were given as grants, and the farmers were not expected to payback after harvest.”
He said this was to enhance crop production and achieve food security within the municipality.
Mr Kusubari touched on the flooding in the municipality last year, which affected some farmers saying, “To aid recovery and ensure the resilience of affected farmers, the Municipal Assembly through the Department of Agriculture in collaboration with NADMO, received and distributed a special package of agricultural inputs to assist with replanting and soil recovery.”
He said, “Each flood affected farmer received six bags of NPK fertilizer, two bags of Urea, two litres of Atraking chemical, one litre of Nicoking chemical, 20kg of hybrid maize seeds. In all, sixty-four (64) farmers benefitted from the intervention.”
He said the Ghana Landscape Restoration and Small-Scale Mining Project supported 700 farmers with fertilizers, maize, and soybean seeds across seven communities in the municipality.
He said 56,560 cashew seedlings were distributed to farmers in 12 communities in the municipality to promote agroforestry, climate restoration and income diversification.
He added that 50 donkeys were distributed to 10 communities to aid in the transportation of farm produce.
Mr Kusubari commended Mr Jinapor, MP for the area saying he supported farmers in the Municipality during the farming season with a few items, which included five tractors to provide tractor services, 5,800 bags (50kg) of fertilizers, 3,216 boxes of weedicides, 1,000 pieces of wellington boots, 1,000 pieces of cutlasses and 1,000 pieces of raincoat.
Alhaji Mumuni Ibrahim, West Gonja Municipal Director of Agriculture said, “Under the sustainable soya production (one country, one priority crop) 50 hectares of land were developed for 250 farmers in five communities namely Soalepe, Bonyanto, Ngbaripe, Langbanto and Atributo.”
He added that “Seed and fertilizers were provided to farmers for soya production. The project ended this year and so far, the results on the field show that yields are going to be high.”
He added that “The Municipal Department of Agriculture benefited from Savannah Agriculture Value Chain Development Project, where about 1,250 farmers benefited from highly subsidised fertilizers.”
GNA