E/R farmers angry

Eastern Regional Best Farmer award winners have expressed displeasure in the regional agriculture planning committee for awarding them with what they have described as “unpleasant and unbeneficial items” that could not enhance their work.

The award winners who were given a knapsack sprayer, a pair of wellington boots, two litters of weedicide, two bottles of Joy “Dadi” Bitters and three pieces of T-roll each said the items were not worth to be given to an award winner.

Speaking in an interview with the New Juaben Municipal Best Pawpaw Farmer, Mr. Adofo Wadie, said though the planning committee did well in organising the event, they should have considered the prizes first before giving them to the winners.

He said awarding a spraying machine to a fish farmer, a pig farmer and a pawpaw farmer was not relevant since they would not need it for their farming.

He also criticised the inclusion of only three pieces of T-roll and two bottles alcoholic drinks as prizes, adding that it was not the best practice and urged the committee to consider it next time.

However, the Regional Overall Best Farmer, Mr. Stephen Agyeman, was content with the prizes.

According to him, there was nothing one could say about the prizes.

He urged all farmers to continue working hard to increase productivity to help prevent any famine in the future.

The 64-year-old man from Konko in the Akuapem North District went home with a tricycle, pack of roofing sheets, a knapsack sprayer, two liters of weedicide, pair of wellington boots, eight pieces of cutlass, two bars of key soap and two bottles of Joy Dadi Bitters.

For his part, Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Antwi Boasiako Sekyere, commended the farmers for their “tremendous efforts” in ensuring abundance of food in the country.

He reiterated government’s commitment to implementing measures that would boost agriculture production and also address productivity constraints in the country.

To that end, he asserted that the country had in the past five years not experienced any food shortages.

He supported his claim by adding that recent increase in production of rice, fish and poultry in the country was ample evidence of government’s commitment towards food security.