The Tano
South version of the 32nd Farmers Day Celebration was held in the
District Capital Bechem. The day which saw all categories of farmers from the
District with their farm produces displayed at the grounds saw a large number
of people attending the days function which had for its theme “AGRICULTURE : A BUSINESS RESPONSE TO
ECONOMIC GROWTH”
In an introductory
speech to mark the day, the Tano South District Director of Agriculture Mr.
Kyei- Baffour Owusu –Achiaw said the purpose of the days gathering was to say
“AYEKOO” to our gallant farmers who through their sweat and toil have been able
to produce enough for domestic consumption, provide raw materials for some of
our agro based industries and also for export.
Mr. Kyei-
Baffour said it is increasingly becoming a worry to see most farmers regarding
themselves as unemployed and this is so because in the past many of such people
have taking farming as a way of life not a business venture. He said even those
who take farming as a business also fail to abreast themselves with the value
chain as if Agriculture is not a profitable venture.
Mr. Kyie
–Baffour asserted that the department of Agriculture will be focusing on some
thematic areas in the years ahead to
improve their status despite inadequate
logistics coupled with low number of Agriculture Extension Officers which
enable some farmers to complain that
they don’t get services.
Mr. Kyei
– Baffour indicated that despite challenges his outfit face, the District was
able to chalk some successes and said the officers in the District stood among
their colleagues in the Region through their hard work and dedication to duty.
Mr Kyei-
Baffour again said the major problem facing the Agriculture industry is Climate
Change and added that each one of us have contributed to this in one way or the
other through indiscriminate felling of trees, bad farm practices, combustion
of engines and burning of rubbish and fuel in households and cautioned that it
is in this regard that we must all rise up and help restore the natural love
otherwise generations to come will never forgive us and used the occasion to
thank the Tano South District Assembly especially the District Chief Executive, the District
Agriculture Development Committee, the Planning Committee, Nananom, Assembly
members, the good people of Bechem and its environs and our gallant farmers for
making the celebration a success.
The Tano
South District Chief Executive Hon. Bukari Zakari Anaba in his address stated
that the farmers’ day celebration is set aside to honour our gallant farmers
whose contribution to the development of this country cannot be under estimated
and remain core to the transformational agenda of the government.
Hon.
Bukari Zakari Anaba attested that, the government is keeping to Changing Lives
and Transforming Ghana agenda which has the principal objective of achieving
National Food Security continue to put in place critical interventions to
modernize Agriculture to improve yield.
Hon.
Anaba said the theme for this year’s celebration “Agriculture a Business
Response to Economic Growth” could not have come at any better time considering
the clarion call to expand the economy through Agriculture and numerous
opportunities that exist in the sector and its potential to grow the Ghanaian
Economy. He affirmed that majority of the workforce in the country are engaged
in Agriculture and the sector serves as a backbone to the Ghanaian economy and
any effort to grow the economy to the anticipated levels would have to depend
largely on Agriculture and when the sector is seriously looked at could serve
as a panacea to the myriad of the economic challenges that the country
occasionally faces and help to further improve the economic fortunes for the
betterment of all.
Hon.
Anaba said the Tano South District Assembly knowing the critical role the sector
plays and on its quest to increase Agriculture productivity procured some farm
inputs for farmers in the district during the early part of this year and said
government is doing its best to make Agriculture attractive to encourage
investors to consider investment in the sector lucrative so that a lot more
jobs could be created to absorb the teaming youth and said the effort to
improve Agriculture sector be left to government alone since each and every one
of us has a pivotal role to play if Ghana were to achieve economic growth
through Agriculture as there should be a deliberate effort by all well-meaning
Ghanaians to show interest.
Touching
on cocoa production, Hon. Anaba added up that the government in its effort to
increase cocoa production continue to supply cocoa seedlings and fertilizers to
farmers and under the programme 1, 250, 00 cocoa seedlings were produced within
Bechem, Techimantia and Derma nursery sites and distributed to 1,952 cocoa
farmers in the district and hinted that the District cocoa officer also
received different varieties of fertilizer and accordingly distributed district
wide.
Hon.
Anaba informed the gathering that whilst the government continue to improve
conditions of roads in farming communities in the district the Tano South District
Assembly is also working tirelessly to improve the condition of feeder roads in
the District which are all clear indications of the President’s commitment of
making agriculture sector attractive to businessmen so that they would invest
to increase output which would bring about economic growth of the country.
Hon.
Anaba in conclusion reminded the people that this year is an election year and
therefore appealed to all and sundry to comport themselves before ,during and
after the Elections to ensure the sustenance of peace that exist in order to
once again show to the whole world our maturity and advancement when it comes
to democracy. He commended and expressed gratitude to our gallant fishermen and
farmers for providing food for us.
Nana
Fosu Gyeabour Akoto II, Omanhene of Bechem Traditional Area was adjudged the
overall best farmer in the District.
