65 year-old woman wins best farmer at Asante-Akim Central

Madam Comfort Agyapomaa, a 65 year-old farmer from Praaso, has been adjudged the 2019 Best Famer for the Asante-Akim Central Municipality at the Farmers’ Day celebration on the theme: "Enhancing Small Scale Agriculture Towards Agribusiness Development".

In all 24 farmers including four women and a disabled were awarded at the colourful durbar at Obenemase.

Madam Agyapomaa, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Praaso Farms, took home a tricycle, knapsack sprayers, Wellington boots, cutlasses, assorted agro chemicals, bars of key soap, radio set and a certificate. She owns 40 cows, 41 acres of cocoa, five acres of cabbage, five acres of maize, seven acres of coconut, four acres of cassava and five acres of plantain.

Mrs Susan Akomeah, the Municipal Chief Executive, applauded farmers for their sacrifices in feeding the nation all year round.

She said the Day offered a unique opportunity for a collective appreciation of the impact of farmers on the national economy.

"It also provides the opportunity to identify key problems in the sector and most importantly those that affect the welfare of our farmers," she said.

She said government was committed to shifting the focus on agriculture in Ghana from subsistence farming to agribusiness, adding that it was only when agriculture was treated as a business that accelerated economic growth could be attained.

She urged the teeming unemployed youth to tap into what she described as a lucrative venture and the most resourceful and sustainable form of employment.

The MCE said the Assembly would continue to nurse more cocoa, oil palm and coconut seedlings for distribution to farmers under the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) and urged farmers to take advantage to improve their incomes.

Mr Ernest Kusi, the Municipal Director of Agriculture, paid glowing tribute to the gallant farmers in the Municipality for their relentless efforts towards food production over the years.

He said they should take advantage of the numerous interventions under the Planting for Food and Jobs and the PERD to improve their income levels. He urged farmers to depart from subsistent farming and treat their farms as businesses by adopting best farming practices to improve yields.