Cash prizes for best farmers more vital than houses – national best farmer
2017 national best farmer, Mr. Philip Agyemang Baffour has disclosed that the amount given to him by government has been of tremendous help to the expansion of his farming business.
Mr. Agyemang who made the disclosure in an interview with host of the Rite Morning Ride on Thursday said though he has won several awards in the past, winning the national best farmer award in 2017 has greatly turned his farming activities around.
The 51-year-old farmer from the Dormaa West District in the Brong Ahafo Region was in 2017 adjudged the National Best Farmer.
Mr. Agyemang who has been farming for 29 years won the award with casual and permanent farm hands, totaling 205 and owns a 280-acre farm that comprises 120-acre cocoa farm, more than three acres of fish pond, 95 acres of plantain, seven acres of cashew, five-acres of orange farm and seven acres of coconut as well as 45,000 poultry and other livestock.
“I’ve won several awards prior to winning the national best farmer award but this has really helped me. The prize money has helped in the expansion of my farms as well as in the employment of more farm hands. Today, my poultry population has increased from 45,000 birds last year to 55,000,” Mr. Agyemang disclosed.
While previous award winners received houses as top prizes, the 2017 national best farmer who maintained that most farmers already have houses and cars said giving cash prizes to winners will go a long way in helping farmers to expand their farming businesses.
Previous winners of the awards have received items including a three-bedroom fully furnished house among other awards from the Government with the support of the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
But Mr. Agyemang believes this did not help much.
“The cash prize has been very helpful because a lot farmers who have been adjudged best farmer already have their own vehicles and houses. Giving the cash prizes therefore helps the farmers to expand their businesses which ultimately leads to the employment of more farm hands,” he asserted.
