Eastern Region farmers' day awards held at Ekye-Amanfrom

Ekye-Amanfrom, Dec. 10, GNA - Forty-two farmers from the Eastern Region were on Friday presented with awards at the Regional Best Farmer's Day held at Ekye-Amanfrom. The celebration of the Eastern Regional Farmers' Day was postponed to the second Friday of December to enable all District Chief Executives and District Directors of Agriculture to participate in the national event which was held at Somanya in the Region last Friday. Mr Michael Partey Samoji was adjudged the overall Regional Best Farmer and was presented with a corn mill, Wellington boots, 10 pieces of cutlasses, a knapsack spraying machine, radio recorder and some agro- chemicals.

Mr Michael Kpodotsi was adjudged the Kwahu North District Best Farmer and received a motorcycle, five cutlasses, two field boots, a hat and a silver bowl as his prize. The Best Regional cage-fishing farmer went to Clement Boateng whiles the best fingerlings producer went to Data Fish Farm of New Akrade in the Asuogyaman District. The best radio station on agriculture programmes went to Rite FM of Somanya, whilst the Best Female Reporter on Agriculture went to Gloria Atiase of GBC with the Best Male Reporter going to Nana Konadu of Graphic. Other award winners were Mr Kofi Portuphy, Coordinator of the National Disaster Management organization (NADMO), who won the Best Regional Plantain Farmer award.

Speaking at the function, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Eastern Regional Minister, appealed to those, who benefited from the facilities of the establishment of agricultural mechanization centres, to honour their obligation to enable others to also benefit from it. He said a number of roads in the cocoa growing areas in the region had been selected for re-construction and tarring next year to enable farmers to transport their produce from their farms to marketing centres. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said 10 bridges would also be constructed in the rural areas to facilitate the marketing of farm produce. He mentioned some of the bridges as Nsutapong-Thakama in Yilo Krobo, Akyem Akropong-Dompim Apapam in the Atiwa District and Akyem Adukrom-Agyapomaa in the East Akyem district. The Regional Minister appealed to the Kwahu North Assembly and the traditional authority in the area to meet with other stakeholders to find solution to charcoal burning in the area, which causes depletion of the forest cover.

He congratulated all farmers in the Region for their efforts in making the area a leading food "basket" in the country. Earlier, in a welcoming address, the Kwahu North District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Charles Evans Apraku, said the various agriculture projects in the district had created employment for 5,000 farm hands and 350,000 seasonal employees. He said that had helped to increase income, ensure food security and reduced poverty in the district whilst the national afforestation project had also created jobs for 252 people working on 120 hectares of land. 10 Dec. 10