A 51-year-old farmer at Tanokwaem in the Offinso North District was adjudged the overall district best farmer at the 33rd National Farmers Day Celebration in the district at Afrancho.
The winner, Mr Jean Kwame Appiah, is the Offinso North Constituency Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He received motor-king, a spraying machine, eight bags of fertilisers, twenty machetes, Cassette Radio, two pieces of wax print and certificate of recognition. He grows plantain, cassava, pepper, tomatoes, maize, groundnuts, rice, cashew and yam. He also rears pigs, goats, sheep, fowls and guinea fowls.
Twenty-three other farmers also received awards for their interest in agriculture that has made significant impact in their lives and others in the district.
The Best Farmer, Mr Appiah, advised politicians to desist from politicising agriculture and encourage the youth to go into farming to increase food and cash crop production.
Addressing the gathering, the District Chief Executive, Mr David Asare, noted that the assembly recognised the significant contributions of the farmers in the area and would continue to provide the needed impetus to enable farmers to increase their production capacity.
Cashew production
He announced that the district had selected cashew production as the sustainable crop for the planting for jobs and investment policy.
In pursuant of that Mr Asare said the assembly would from next year supply free seedlings to at least 1,500 farmers on an average of three hectares per farmer to Afrancho and Mankranso zone, Akomadan and Sraneso No.1, Nkekaasu and Seseko zone.
The rest are Darso and Nkwakwaa zone, Nsenoa zone as well as Nyamebekyere No. 1. Bobra, Konkon and Dwendabi.
Mr Asare said 1,441 farmers in the district benefitted from “the planting for food and jobs programme and advised those beneficiary farmers to redeem their indebtedness for the inputs supplied them for the expansion of the programme”.
The District Agriculture Director, Mr Anthony Amoako, earlier in his welcome address, assured the farmers of extension officers’ preparedness to provide them with the necessary technical know-how to increase food production.
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