On Friday 24 th November 2023 the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipal
Assembly held its 39 th Farmers’ Day celebration under the theme
“DELIVERING SMART SOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURITY
AND RESILIENCE” at Beppoh/Eshyireso in the Prestea Huni-valley
Municipality, this was harmonized with the directives to have all MMDAs in the western region hold their farmers day celebration in a week before the National one which would be held at Tarkwa on Friday 1st December 2023.
Farmers’ Day feel is an annual adherence in various MMDAs to celebrate the national contribution of Farmers and other agricultural activities, in Ghana it was first observed in 1984 after the famine in 1983 to serve as an extrinsic motivation to our Galant farmers to boost their interest in Agriculture.
A grand durbar with an official opening of an Agriculture fair and an
exhibition of raw materials and some processed products climaxed the
celebration with an improvement to last year’s own, the Assembly through various sponsors awarded the winners with Five (5) Tricycles and pick-up Car (Aboshokain Macho) which was donated by Wassa Hemaa foundation (Hon. Barbra Oteng Gyasi).
In a welcome address by the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Hon. Isaac DasmaniPh.D. revealed that the agenda for transforming agriculture calls for investing our resources in critical areas of the sector, with the view of stimulating growth on a sustainable basis, therefore the government is doing everything possible to put agriculture on the path of transformation. “Delivering Smart Solutions for Sustainable Food Security and Resilience”. This is why the government rolled out its flagship program “Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) in 2017 to deliver target solutions to the problems within the agriculture sector which have seen notable success after six (6) years of implementation. He said the outcome of the PFJ is the birth of the second phase of the planting for food and jobs which was outdone by the president in Tamale and it’s a five-year master plan to certainly change the face of Ghana’s agriculture.
The MCE emphasized that the discovery of oil, and agriculture remained a sector in providing food and raw materials for industry and export. This calls for more cooperation on the part of all of us to make the sector much more viable and attractive to the youth in particular. He added that it is a fact that about 20%-25% of our farm produce goes through losses, so it is the avowed aim of the post-harvest government to continue to create an enabling environment like the construction of feeder roads, creating access to agriculture credit and promotion of favorable market conditions to help minimize again, the government, in keeping with its promise to the cocoa farmers, has increased cocoa price from Twelve Thousand, Eight Hundred Cedis (GH₵12,800) per ton to Twenty Thousand, Nine Hundred and Forty-three Cedis (GH₵20,943) per ton, or One Thousand, Three Hundred and Eight Cedis (GH₵1,308) per bag. The price is seventy-five percent (70.5%) of
the Gross FoB price, and it is the highest price to be paid to cocoa farmers across West Africa in fifty years. He added.
Yet again the MCE notified that the Assembly through the Department
of Agriculture collaborated with the Minerals Development Fund (MDF)
secretariat and the Minerals Commission to serve farmers who were
interested in cultivating oil palm and 149,700 oil palm seedlings have
been supplied to farmers in the municipality. Also, the Department
received Nine Hundred (900) pieces of crocodile cutlasses and fifteen
(15) pairs of Wellington boots from the MDF Secretariat and distributed
them to Seven Hun and Eight -Nine (789) farmers who were past
beneficiaries of the MDF free oil Palm Seedlings, and the cocoa Extension Division at Huni-valley enclave was able to supply a lot of farm input to its catchment areas and lamented on the government commitment to boost road network in the municipality. Let me say Ayekoo to those who will pick prizes as best farmers. To the unfortunate ones who will not be awarded, I say better luck next year. He ended.
The Municipal Director of Agric Madam Antionette Davidson seizes the opportunity to thank all for honoring the invitation despite their busy schedules and appreciate the benevolent farmers whose toils and sweat brought to the table of every household and also play a vital role in the development of the municipality, and the country as a whole. For this and all the remarkable work they are doing I say “Ayekoo” to our noble farmers and fisher, agro processers and all the actors along the agriculture value chain, she said.
She again notified that the Department of Agriculture of Prestea Huni-
Valley Municipal Assembly, through their diligent extension officers and
municipal development officers have educated and trained farmers on
numerous improved technologies and provided technical backstopping
which brought about significant results in the yields of farmers. The
introduction of these smart technologies has also created jobs as well.
She therefore appeals to all farmers to adopt improved technologies to
boost production, escalate their income, and improve their livelihoods.
She therefore concluded by urging all farmers not to hesitate to visit
She again notified that the Department of Agriculture of Prestea Huni-
Valley Municipal Assembly, through their diligent extension officers and
municipal development officers have educated and trained farmers on
numerous improved technologies and provided technical backstopping
which brought about significant results in the yields of farmers. The
introduction of these smart technologies has also created jobs as well.
She therefore appeals to all farmers to adopt improved technologies to
boost production, escalate their income, and improve their livelihoods.
She therefore concluded by urging all farmers not to hesitate to visit the Agric office for any Agric-related enquiries and wished all farmers a
memorable celebration.
Kurowura Nana Atta Kojo Bremebi (ii) the chief of Beppoh and the
chairman for the occasion seizes the opportunity to thank the central
government through the MCE and the Municipal Assembly for the enormous support to the Agric sector and the farmers in the municipality, he called on the general public to develop an interest in farming and other agriculture activities and said “Ayekoo” to the Gallant farmers and the awardees.
Eventually, over 25 categories were awarded to the farmers who received different kinds of lucrative items and other farm inputs Lawson Lawrence from Bompieso-Peterkrom emerged as the Overall Best Farmer and was awarded a Haojin Tricycle 1, Double door Refrigerator 1, 40-inch Television 1, Wellington boot 5, Fertilizers 10, knapsacks 5, cutlass 15, insecticide 12, Watering can 2, Home Theatre 1, shovel 1, Wheelbarrow 1, weedicide 12, storage bags 10, Wax print 1, mist blower1, a piece of cloth, Cylinder and many others. The second overall best (1 st Runner-up) went to Mr. Clement Yamoah from Bompieso who also received Tricycle 1, Double door Refrigerator 1, 32-inch Television 1, Wellington boot 5, Fertilizers 5, knapsacks 5, cutlass 15, insecticide 12, Watering can 2, Radio 1, shovel 1, Wheelbarrow 1, weedicide 12, storage bags 10, Wax print 1, mist blower1, a piece of cloth, Cylinder and many others. The Third Best Farmer (2 nd Runners-up) was given to Mr. Asare Bediako and was awarded a Tricycle 1,
Double door Refrigerator 1, 32-inch Television 1, Wellington boot 5,
Fertilizers 5, knapsacks 5, cutlass 15, insecticide 12, Watering can 2, Radio 1, shovel 1, Wheelbarrow 1, weedicide 12, storage bags 10, Wax print 1, mist blower 1, a piece of cloth, Cylinder and many others.
Madam Christiana Dwomoh won the Female Best Farmer and took home, Tricycle 1, Double door Refrigerator 1, 32-inch Television 1, Wellington boot 5, Fertilizers 5, knapsacks 5, cutlass 15, insecticide 12, Watering can 2, Radio 1, shovel 1, Wheelbarrow 1, weedicide 12, storage bags 10, Wax print 1, mist blower,1 a piece of cloth, Cylinder and many others. Mrs. Selina Aidoo appeared to be the Best Youth Farmer and was handed over with Tricycle 1, Double door Refrigerator 1, 32-inch Television 1, Wellington boot 5, Fertilizers 5, knapsacks 5, cutlass 15, insecticide 12, Watering can 2, Radio 1, shovel 1, Wheelbarrow 1, weedicide 12, storage bags 10, Wax print 1, mist
blower 1, a piece of cloth, Cylinder and many others. In addition, Madam Yaa Akomah was awarded, a Kia pick-up (Aboshokain Macho) by Wassa Hemaa Foundation as the Veteran Female Farmer, this is the third time this particular award has been given by the foundation. And other 20 categories also took home some convincing items as well.
Dignitaries present were Hon. Isaac Dasmani Ph. the Municipal Chief
Executive of Prestea Huni-Valley Municipal Assembly (MCE), Nana Sompre, the chief of Bogoso and his elders, Kurowura Nana Atta Kojo Bremebi (ii) the chief of Beppoh and his elders, Hon. Assembly Members, Staff from the Assembly, the various award winners, the media and our gallant farmers.
