Madam Georgina Awuni, a 32 year-old farmer from Huhunya, has been adjudged the 2019 Best Famer for the Yilo Krobo Municipality at the Municipal Farmers’ Day celebration held in Boti in the Yilo Krobo Municipal of the Eastern region.
The celebration which was held on the theme: “Enhancing Small Scale Agriculture Towards Agribusiness Development”, also honored Rite 90.1 FM for its strong advocacy and promotion of Agriculture in the country.
Having been awarded as the best social Agric Promoter, Sylvester Tetteh received Ghc 500.00 and a certificate of merit on behalf of the station.
The certificate which was signed by the minister of Agric, Hon Dr. Owusu Afriyie reads “Rite FM (FMSL MULTIMEDIA) Best Social Agric Promoter in recognition of the outstanding contribution towards the development of Agriculture in Ghana.”
The 35th National Farmers’ and Fishermen’s Day Celebration was held at Boti Roman Catholic Junior High School Park in the Yilo Krobo Municipality. Dignitaries including the Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Ebenezer Tetteh Kupualor, Yilo Krobo Police Commander, DSP Isaac Otsin, Chief of Boti Nene Teye Kwame, Chief of Bornya Nene Ayerteye Teye Borku II, some students of Klo Agogo Senior High School, constituency chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Dr. Gabriel Odei Apotey, Pupil of Boti R/C Primary and JHS, Past winners and Community members grace the occasion.
A total of 19 awards were given:16 farmers including three women, a disabled, best NABCO worker, Best Agric Extension Agent and Klo Certified Nursery Growers as best Farmer Base Organization in the municipality were awarded at the colorful durbar.
Madam Georgina, the ultimate winner took home a refrigerator, 20 pieces of roofing sheet, 10 pieces of machetes, 2 knapsack sprayers, 2 pairs of wellington boots, a wheel barrow, a full piece GTP clothe, a radio set, wall clock and a certificate to mark.
She is a farmer of 15 sheep, 20 goats, 50 local fowls, 30 exotic fowls, 20 acres of maize, 30 acres of cassava, 3 acres of palm tree, 2 acres of plantain, 3 acres of cocoyam, and an acre each of the following: yam, okra, pepper, and mango.
Hon Ebenezer Tetteh Kupualor, the Municipal Chief Executive, applauded farmers for their sacrifices in feeding the nation all year round.
He said the day offered a unique opportunity for a collective appreciation and celebration of agro-processors, small, medium and large scale farmers and stakeholders of the impact of agriculture on the national economy.
Downsizing government huge sum of money on import goods into the country, planting for food and job, rearing for food and job, green house village technology were initiated by the Agriculture Ministry, the MCE has emphasized.
“Since the introduction of planting for food and jobs, 202,000 and 500,000 framers were employed in 2017 and 2018 respectively. The 2019 will exceed these numbers, and hope the 1 million farmers targeted by government will be met”.
He said government was committed to shifting the focus on agriculture in Ghana from subsistence farming to agribusiness, adding that it was only when agriculture was treated as a business that accelerated economic growth could be attained.
Mr. Kupualor urged the teeming unemployed youth to tap into what he described as a lucrative venture and the most resourceful and sustainable form of employment to secure their living.
The MCE assured the Assembly would continue to nurse more mango seedlings for distribution to farmers under the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) and urged farmers to take advantage to improve their incomes.
Mr Daniel Oduro, the Municipal Director of Agriculture, paid glowing tribute to the gallant farmers in the Municipality for their relentless efforts towards food production over the years.
Re-echoing o the MCE words, Mr. Oduro asked farmers to take advantage of the numerous interventions under the Planting for Food and Jobs and the PERD to improve their income levels.
He urged farmers to adopt best farming practices to improve yields.
Source: Sylvester Tetteh/Rite 90.1 FM/ritefmonline.org.
