Thirty-four year old Alhassan Mohammed Abass from Amantin emerged as best farmer for Atebubu-Amantin at this year’s municipal best farmer awards held at Sanwakyi-Afefreso.
The Senior High School graduate with 16 years of farming experience has 30 acres of cowpea, 25 acres of maize, 22 acres of mango, 4 acres of rice and 2 acres of cashew.
He also keeps 10 cattle, 35 goats, 25 sheep, 51 local fowls and 15 guinea fowls.
For his prize, Abass took away 1 tricycle, 1 full piece wax print, 1 pair wellington boots, 2 cutlasses, 1 knapsack sprayer, 1 radio set and 4 liters of weedicides.
He also received a 5 kilogram bag of pan 53 seed maize, 2 bars of key soap, 1 ‘T’ shirt and a certificate.
In a keynote address, the Atebubu-Amantin municipal chief executive Hon. Edward Owusu said government in a bid to further ameliorate the plight of farmers will soon institute a financial support scheme for them.
He said under the ‘planting for food and jobs’ initiative the municipality received 40,000 bags of NPK and 20,000 bags of UREA fertilizer this year while 87,000 cashew seedlings were distributed to 718 farmers under the ‘planting for export and rural development’ programme.
He added that the municipality benefitted from one thousand 40kg AGRA seed rice for distribution under a special rice initiative putting a total land area of 1,188.5 acres under cultivation.
The MCE indicated that the proposed construction of feeder roads throughout the municipality under a World Bank facility will open up the area, boost agriculture by improving access to market centers and thus enhance incomes of farmers.
Earlier in a welcome address, the municipal director of agriculture Mr. George Amanyoh referred to the theme of the celebration ‘enhancing small scale agriculture towards agribusiness development’ and said government realizing the important role small scale farmers play in our economy has put in place structures to form farmer based organizations and enhanced their capacities to play their desired roles in the country.
“Farming has come of age and not only regarded as food for the table but as a business that can employ most of our youth when the policies of government are strictly adhered to.” He said.
Awards were presented in 20 categories including best educational institution, best agricultural officer, winners in specific crop and animal areas as well as two runners up with winners taking home assorted prizes including farm implements, water pumping machines, refrigerators, motor bikes and bicycles among others.
