A 43 year old chief, Kangba Naah Issah II, has been adjudged the 2021 best farmer for the Wa West District in the Upper West Region at the Farmers' Day celebration held at Piisie in the district.
The chief, who had six wives and 25 children, took home a tricycle motorbike, a knapsack sprayer and wellington boosts among others.
He cultivated 50 acres of maize, 35 acres of cashew and ten acres of soybeans among others within the year under review, as well as livestock including 170 cattle and 95 sheep among others.
The event, on the theme: "Planting for Food and Jobs; Consolidating Food Systems in Ghana", saw more than 30 farmers in the district recognized for their diverse contributions to national development.
The first runner-up, Mr Daari Soobele, 48 years, also took home an Aspsonic motorbike, a knapsack sprayer and welling boots among others. He cultivated eight acres of maize, 19 acres of cashew and ten cattle among others.
Mr Paana Bayong, 53 years, also emerged the second runner-up and took away a Luojia motorbike, wellington boots and a knapsack sprayer among others.
He also farmed 15 acres of maize and 23 acres of groundnut among other crops as well as 150 cattle and 50 sheep among others.
Madam Porshia Gbang also won a tricycle motorbike from the Nandom Rural Bank for being the best female agriculturalist for the year under review.
Naah Issah commended the Wa West District Assembly for honouring him as the district’s best farmer for the year and said it would motivate him to put in his best to achieve more.
The six times district best farmer entreated other farmers to put in their best to enable them succeed in their farming activities.
Madam Vida Diorotey, the Wa West District Chief Executive (DCE) urged the farmers to take advantage of the government flagship programmes in the agricultural sector to better their lots and reduce household poverty.
She explained that as part of the interventions, the government was working to transform the agricultural sector into a technology and business driven venture to guarantee increased production and reduce post-harvest losses to ensure food security in the country.
"It is against this backdrop that the government is taking a centre stage in Ghana’s economic development agenda.
"The government of H.E President Akuffo-Addo has demonstrated, over the years, his commitment to transforming the agriculture sector as a base for national development and economic transformation", she said.
She said the District Assembly was working to improve irrigation farming in the area with the rehabilitation of dams in the district and installation of three mechanized solar pumps at Asse, Varemperi and Berenyase communities.
Mr. Joseph Kambunabu, the Wa West District Director of Agriculture, said the COVID-19 pandemic had posed a threat to food security and stressed the need to put in measures to ensure sustainable food production in order to guarantee food security.
“We must move away from subsistence farming to large scale agriculture which will involve agricultural business activities from production to consumption including the supply of agricultural inputs as well as the production and distribution of agricultural products”, he explained.
The Director indicated that the people of the district were predominately farmers and that the agricultural directorate was implementing projects and programmes to improve the sector including the Planting for Food and Jobs and Planting for Export and Rural Development.
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