Fifty-year-old Mr. Philip Kweku Agyemang who has been farming for the past 28 year from the Dormaa West in the Brong Ahafo Region was adjudged national best farmer for 2017 National Farmers’ Day award ceremony held at the Heroes Park of the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi, the Ahanti Regional capital
He received a cheque for US$100,000 as the grand prize.
The amount which was presented by the ADB Bank will assist the winner to purchase agricultural equipment and tools.
Miss Mabel Ann Akoto Cudjoe from the Hohoe in the Volta Region and Miss Rebbeca Commey of Ga South in the Greater Accra Region were adjudged first and second runners up respectively.
About 67 hardworking farmers were awarded for their immense contribution to the economic development of the nation.
The award categories include: National Best Farmer, first runner-up, second runner-up, National Best Youth Farmer, National Best Female Farmer, National Best Physically Challenged Farmer, National Best Livestock Farmer, National Best Fisherman and National Best Inland Fisherman. The rest are National Best Marine Fisherman, National Best Aquaculture Fisherman, National Best Cocoa Farmer, National Best Shea-nut Farmer, National Best Crop Farmer, National Best Agro Forestry Farmer, National Best Agriculture Extension Agent and National Best Fisheries Extension Farmer Worker.
A number of winners from each region was also awarded at the national level
Gov’t to construct 320 dams in 64 districts – Prez Akufo Addo
The President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has said, as part of efforts to promote all-year-round cropping in Ghana, 320 small dams and dugouts in 64 districts in the Northern Region have been earmarked to be developed under the One-Village-One-Dam project
The dam initiative is a campaign promise by the New Patriotic Party, which is meant to boost agriculture in every village in the three regions up north.
Delivering the keynote address at the 33rd Farmers’ Day celebration in Kumasi on 1 December 2017, Mr Akufo-Addo noted that a water transmission project will also begin next year to further boost irrigation for all-year crop production.
. He said: “In line with government’s target of promoting all-year-round cropping, preparatory activities are ongoing to implement the One-Village-One-Dam agricultural development agenda. I can report that 320 small dams and dugout sites in 64 districts in the Northern part of the country have been earmarked for development.
“Additionally, 192 will be evaluated in 2018 for development there. A provisional list of 51 dams in Volta, Greater Accra and Central regions have been submitted for consideration and rehabilitation,” the president said, adding: “A water transmission project to distribute water from River Oti [as well as] the Black and White Volta, to communities for productive cultivation, will begin next year and will bring up to 90,000 hectares under irrigation.
A grand durbar of farmers, stakeholders in the agricultural sector, government officials, chiefs and people marked the day, on the theme: “Farming for Food and Jobs.”
Source: Omanba Kodwo Boafo/ritefmonline.org
