By Nicholas Osei-Wusu
A 36-yar old senior high school graduate and father of three, Stephen Adda, has been crowned the overall Best Farmer for 2024 in the Mampong Municipality in the Ashanti region.
A total of 20 hardworking farmers were recognized and rewarded at this year’s Farmers’ Day celebration in the Mampong Municipality.
They received prizes including motorized tricycle commonly called ‘Aboboyaa’, table top fridges, television set, knapsack sprayers, pieces of cloth, agro chemicals, pesticides, wellington boots and cutlasses.
The Mampong Police Divisional Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police Stephen Boadu, came up tops in the Municipal Crop farming slot drawing a loud applause and a standing ovation by participants at the event.
Kwadwo Tuffuor from Adidwan won the Best Municipal Livestock category
Addressing the durbar of farmers and other stakeholders at Daaho, the Mampong Municipal Chief Executive, Thomas Appiah-Kubi, said in the face of the threat being posed to agricultural production and food security by the climate change phenomenon, the Municipal Assembly, in cooperation with the Directorate of Food and Agriculture, is already putting in place sustainable measures to, at least, reduce to the bearest minimum any possible harsh impact.
He enumerated “from soil degradation, pest invasion, erratic rainfall pattern, prolonged drought period” as some of the harsh effects the climate change problem is having on agric production in the municipality.
“We’ll continue to support local farmers by expanding infrastructure for irrigation, constructing storage facilities, and improving access to local and regional markets. Our goal is to reduce postharvest losses and ensure that farmers receive fair prices for their produce during periods of climate-induced volatility”, Mr. Appiah-Kubi assured.
The Deputy Municipal Director of Agric, Emmanuel Baah, disclosed that, so far, the directorate has registered about 10 thousand farmers with eight thousand 500 farms mapped under the Planting for Food and Jobs phase two to benefit from some incentives.
He disclosed also that, “6, 800 free mango seedlings have been supplied free to farmers. Next year, 15 thousand coconut seedlings, 30 thousand oil palm will be supplied at no cost to farmers in the municipality next year. If you’re interested, come to the Municipal Agric office to register so as to benefit from the programme”.
The farmers Day was celebrated on the theme: “Building Climate-Resilient Agriculture for Sustainable Food Security.”
