Farmers and fishers in the country will be honoured today, December 01, at the 39th National Farmers’ Day celebration.
This year’s celebration, on the theme: ‘Delivering Smart Solutions for Sustainable Food Security and Resilence’, will decorate the best players in the industry at an awards night at the University of Mines and Technology.
The grand event, to be graced by Vice President Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, was preceded by a five-day Agricultural Fair within the ministries enclave in Accra.
Agrifest 2023, among other things, afforded farmers the opportunity to network with industry players, learn and adopt new technologies, machinery, and research innovations in agriculture.
Stakeholders, during the week long activities, reflected on the importance of sustainable agricultural practices, challenges facing the sector, as well as the progress made so far.
The items ranged from food crops, finished products, to machinery and agricultural farm house construction services.
Mr Bryan Acheampong, the Ministe
r of Food and Agriculture, said government had developed a five year food security plan for the country and that Agrifest was part of that plan to enable farmers showcase their tools to help government towards achieving that goal.
The day celebration will be rounded up with an awards ceremony at the University of Mines and Technology Auditorium in Tarkwa, Western region.
According to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, farmers and fishermen would receive awards under 15 categories.
Categories
The categories are the Overall National Best Farmer, 1st Runner-Up National Best Farmer, 2nd Runner-Up National Best Farmer, National Best Livestock Farmer, National Best Female Farmer, National Best Physically Challenged Farmer, and Overall National Best Fisher.
The rest are National Best Marine Fisher, National Best Inland Fisher, National Best Fisher Farmer, National Best Fish Processor, National Best Cocoa Farmer, National Best Most Promising Young Cocoa Farmer, National Best Most Enterprising Cocoa and Female
Farmer and National Best Shea Nut Picker.
The celebration will take place at the regional and district levels, too.
Nana Yaw Sarpong Sriboe was the 2022 National Best Farmer.
He has realised a transformative vision by establishing the Siriboe Institute of Agribusiness and Skills Development to motivate young people into farming.
History
In 1983, Ghana experienced devastating bush fires, which made the lands bare and dry, with very little green vegetation. This development led to severe food shortages, as cocoa farms and food crops were destroyed.
To make matters worse, more than one million Ghanaians were repatriated from Nigeria.
Many of the farmers had intended to abandon their burnt cocoa farms and rather go into food crop farming.
They had to be supplied with improved cocoa seedlings supplied by the Cocoa Services Division, with shorter gestation periods, to encourage them to rehabilitate their farms. It became obvious that the farmers needed more assistance to stay in the cocoa business.
The ide
a of motivating farmers and fishermen became necessary, with the contribution of Mr Mike Kofi Afflu, the then Camp Commandant, Kwabeng, especially after the farmers’ sterling performance in 1984 where agricultural output recorded 30 per cent growth after the poor showing in 1982 and 1983.
This led to the celebration of the First National Farmers’ Day in Osino in the Eastern Region on Friday December 6, 1985.
It was institutionalized by government in recognition of the vital role farmers and fishermen play in the economy.
The National Best Farmer prize in 1985 went to Opanin Appiah Dankwa, who took home one Akasanoma Preset Radio, a pair of Wellington boots, two cutlasses, tuna flakes, oil, rice, among others.
The Guest Speaker at the event was Captain Kojo Tsikata (Rtd), then member of the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC).
Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, Madam Cecilia Johnson among others graced the occasion.
The National Farmers’ Day was instituted by the Government in 1985 in recognition of t
he vital role farmers and fishermen play in the Ghanaian economy.
The 39th annual Farmers’ Day is taking place at the time the government is implementing phase two of the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) programme, which is intended, among other objectives, to ensure food sufficiency.
Source: Ghana News Agency