By Prince Acquah, GNA
Assin Fosu (C/R), Dec 05, GNA – Mr Ekow Panyin Okyere Eduamoah, the Central Regional Minister, has disclosed that agriculture in the Central Region is under serious threat due to heightened activities of illegal mining in the region.
He said the menace, commonly known as galamsey, was deteriorating and continued to devastate many farmlands, including cocoa, cassava, and maize, as well as water bodies.
Speaking at the 2025 Regional Farmer’s Day celebration on the theme: “Feed Ghana, Eat Ghana, Secure the Future,” he said the situation posed a significant threat to food production and economic progress and, thus, required an urgent and sustained fight.
Consequently, the Regional Minister issued a clarion call to all traditional authorities, as custodians of the land, to lead the fight against the menace in their respective communities to protect their farmlands and livelihoods and secure the future of the younger generation.
The regional celebration was held at the Fosu College of Education in the Assin Fosu Municipality, where scores of farmers, agripreneurs, investors, and other players in the agriculture value chain converged to honour deserving farmers.
The regional event was held jointly with nine other districts namely Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam, Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese, Assin South, Assin North, Twifo Hemang Lower Denkyira, Twifo-Atti-Morkwa, Assin North, Esikuma Odoben Brakwa, and Assin Fosu.
The distinguished farmers were rewarded with tricycles, motorbikes, cutlasses, mattresses, fishing nets, deep freezers, reservoirs, wheelbarrows, sprayers, weedicides, fertilisers, wire mesh, protective boots, TV sets, among other items.
In all, the Regional Coordinating Council awarded 17 farmers, with 62-year-old Mr Nhyiraba Livinston from Gomoa Central emerging the regional best farmer for his remarkable achievements in both crop and animal production.
For his award, the regional best farmer was given a range of items including a motor tricycle, a knapsack sprayer, a deep freezer, a TV set, Wellington boots, agro-chemicals, and a certificate.
Mr Livinston owns 54 acres of orange, 25 acres of maize, 14 acres of oil palm, 27 acres of cocoa, 58 acres of coconut, 11 acres of tangerine, 21 acres of cassava, 12 acres of okro, six acres of cowpea, seven acres of pepper, eight acres of cocoyam, and 11 acres of timber, 50 stands of turkey berries, 20 stands of pawpaw trees, and 56 plantain plants.
Additionally, he farms poultry and fish and has 148 goats, 167 sheep, 233 local birds, five cats.
Other award categories included regional best female farmer, regional best Junior High School in agriculture, regional best senior high school in agriculture, regional best extensions officer, and regional best differently able farmer.
The farmer’s market, a new addition to the Farmer’s Day celebration in the Central Region, availed quality food at farm gate prices, provided access to plant clinic, extension services, and provided business opportunities for the farmers and agriculture entrepreneurs.
“Nananom, you have a sacred responsibility to ensure that agriculture is sustained and protected,” the Regional Minister insisted.
Mr Eduamoah expressed government’s commitment to agricultural development, stating that the President had introduced several interventions to protect farmers and their investments.
To address the challenge of gluts and post-harvest losses, he said government had released money for the purchase of food items at good prices for the National Food Buffer Stock Company.
He entreated citizens, including assemblies, schools, government institutions, and corporate organisations to patronise and consume foods produced locally to cut down on the excessive importation to strengthen the Ghanaian currency.
The Regional Miniser reminded the gathering that a farmer’s service centres, a programme to offer affordable mechanised farming to farmers, was in the offing, expected to take off in 2026.
He added that government’s flagship poultry programme was underway to jobs, produce more chicken and eggs and check importation.
Mr Eduamoah assured the farmers that academic scholarships targeting the children of farmers would be decentralised and handled by the district assemblies to ensure it benefitted the deserving people.
He encouraged more people to venture into agriculture, particularly young graduates, insisting that agriculture was not the preserve of uneducated, and cited himself as an example.
He also highlighted the cost implications of poor sanitation in parts of the region and urged cleanliness among citizens to save money for agriculture and other essential sectors.
Okumanin Baffour Asare Kyahene II, Omanhene of Efutuakwa Traditional Area and chairman of the occasion, entreated Ghanaians to make deliberate effort to consume locally produced foods to support farmers, create employment, enhance economic stability, and promote development.
“Our farmers are doing wonderfully well, and they deserve to be celebrated.
“Let us do all within our power together as a people to sustainably develop our dear country; it is all we have got,” he said.
Mr Gariba Adams, the Fosu Municipal Chief Executive, indicated that the future of Ghana depended on the strength of agrarian communities.
He noted that agriculture was the heartbeat for the municipality and farmers continued to demonstrate unwavering dedication and commitment to the sector.
He touted the progress of the municipality in agriculture and food production, pointing to the production of the Central Agra Rice at Assin Akropong as a major milestone.
Mr Adams stated that the efficient management of the rice processing factory and the hard work of the farmers had expanded operations and employed many young people in the rice value chain.
As a practical demonstration of their commitment to agricultural development, he said the Assembly, among other activities, continued to support farmers in oil palm and coconut production by supplying free seedlings every year.
Mr Livinston, the regional best farmer, in his appreciation speech, entreated all farmers to always seek the assistance of the district agriculture directorate to get the right guidance and advice.
As a former district best farmer and now the regional best farmer, he said he was aiming for the ultimate at the national level and urged young people seeking greener pastures in urban centres to return home and do farming, highlighting the potentialities in the sector.
GNA
Edited by Alice Tettey /Linda Asante Agyei