Government urged to assist farmers to gain access to credit

The Government has been urged to ensure that Farmers and Fishermen have access to credit in order to better their lot.

"The irony of farmers being bread winners and yet amongst the poorest in the society is unacceptable."

Dr Vladimir Antwi-Danso, Hall Master of Akuafo Hall, University of Ghana-Legon, said this when the hall hosted award winners of the 28th, National Best Farmers and Fisher Folks celebration.

Touching on the contribution of farmers to economic growth in the country, he recounted that, through the hard work of farmers the commodity boom of the 1960s got the country to export 550,000 tons of cocoa, which he said, was half the world's demand.

Dr Antwi-Danso said "the hall commends government for instituting a day for recognizing the hard work of our farmers."

He urged the government and all other concerned authorities to re-examine a security fund "which was suggested in the past as a form of assistance to farmers."

Mr. Philip Abayori, President of the National Best Farmers and Fishermen Award Winners Association, said Akuafo Hall had a historic significance for farmers and fishermen, due to their contribution towards the founding of the hall.

He expressed the hope that the hall "would help with entrepreneurial development so we could help students develop their skills into job-creation skills."

The 28th National Farmers Day, comes off on November 2nd, 2012, at Abokobi in the Greater Accra Region.