Let's expand our agric sector - 2018 National Best Farmer

The 2018 National Best Farmer, James Obeng Boateng has appealed to the government to expand the frontiers of agriculture in the country, by making it more attractive and lucrative.

This, according to him, would help to attract a majority of the unemployed youth lining the streets of this country into farming activities, to cut down on the unemployment rate.

Speaking on Otec FM's afternoon programme, dubbed ‘Dwabrem’, Mr. James Obeng Boateng on Friday, December 7, 2018, a father of six observed that, farming was a lucrative business, but because the trade had not been made attractive enough, it has not been able to exert its influence on our unemployed youth.

Mr. Boateng from the Nkoranza South district of the region has been farming for the past 18 years, where he has 100,000 acres of Cashew, 100,000 acres of palm oil plantation, 100,000 acres of maize, 300,000 acres of mango plantation, pepper, tomatoes and watermelon Fishponds, about 800 stock of cattle as well as 100 boxes of beehives.

Mr. James Obeng Boateng, 60, from the Nkoranza South District of the Brong Ahafo Region, was crowned the overall National Best Farmer for 2018.

Mr Boateng was rewarded with a cheque for GHS 480,000 in addition to other prizes.

President Nana Akufo-Addo, who graced the 34th National Farmers’ Day celebration held at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium at Tamale in the Northern Region, handed the prize to Mr Boateng on Friday, 7 December 2018.

Mr Boateng holds a tertiary education and has been farming for 18 years.

He has a total of 102 employees comprising of 45 full-time workers, 55 casual workers and 2 others from his family.

Mr Boateng, who is a former first runner-up for the best farmer award in the Nkoranza District has several acres of farm with roots and tubers, cereals, vegetables, plantation crops, and timber (teak).

James Boateng takes over from Philip Kweku Agyeman who won the 33rd edition in 2017 and also hails from the Brong Ahafo region