Audio Attachment:Listen to Ignatius Agbo in an interview on Peace Fm. |
His Excellency the Vice President, John Dramani Mahama has saluted the country�s gallant farmers for their hard work in spite of the various challenges they (farmers) go through.
Speaking at the 27th National Farmers Day, he said government recognizes all the difficulties the farmers go through and is working assiduously to solve them.
This year�s awards come off on the heels of the government�s commitment to improve farmers� ac-agro-processing machinery and irrigation equipment to enhance effective farming and increased agricultural productivity.
In all sixty-six distinguished farmers and fishermen in the country received national honours.
56-year-old farmer from the Upper Denkyira East District of the Central region, Ignatius Agbo, was named the National Best Farmer for 2011.
Agbo took home a three-bedroom house at a location of his choice, a life insurance cover, a generator set, a laptop and a fully loaded modem and a trip to India.
The second best National Farmer was 39-year-old Daniel Akomah Mends, who was followed by 44-year-old Phillip Kweku Agyeman.
The National Best Livestock farmer was 70-year-old Joseph Boney and the National Best Fisherman went to 39-year-old Agya Kwesi. Other distinguished farmers took home various prizes including bicycles, fridges, Wellington Boots, sewing machines among other awards.
The Vice President, who was speaking on behalf of President Mills; currently out of the country said: �The agriculture sector is still confronted with numerous challenges�inadequate agriculture facilities, low use of modern technology in agriculture, limited access to financial service, inefficient post-harvest management and many more of which government is addressing them. Notwithstanding these drawbacks our gallant farmers are able to produce foodstuffs to feed the people of this country with even surplus for export��
He added that government has plans to develop agriculture and to support research institutions to minimize the effect of climate change or avoid its effect on agriculture all together, adding the researchers should not fail the country. He warned against the practice of smuggling subsidized fertilizers to neighbouring countries to sell.
�Ghana must not subsidize fertilizers for other countries� We in Ghana need to be grateful to the Almighty God and to our farmers�� he added.
The National Best Farmers Awards ceremony, which was instituted in 1987, is held on the first Friday in December every year with the aim of rewarding deserving hardworking farmers and fishermen for their contribution to the development of agriculture.
Source: Rebecca Addo Tetteh/Peacefmonline.com
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