56-year-old Angmortey Henry Numo pronounced best farmer for Lower Manya Krobo

A 56-year-old farmer from Obelemanya was on Friday, December 1, 2023, adjudged the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Overall Best Farmer at the 39th National Farmers’ Day celebration held at Ayemersu.

Angmortey Henry Numo, a middle school leaver, and married with four children was in 2008 adjudged the Best Fisherman. His farm employs 14 workers including ten casual workers and four permanent employees.

His highly diversified farms also specifically have crop enterprises covering 47 acres of maize, 15 acres of watermelon, 4.5 acres of watermelon, 2 acres of plantain, and 1 acre of cassava.

The rest are tomatoes, peppers, bananas, cocoyam, yam, garden eggs, cowpeas, oil palm, and livestock.

Angmortey Henry Numo took home the coveted motorbike at stake. He also took home a piece of cloth, a pruning saw, a pack of weedicide, an insecticide, 4 cutlasses, a pair of Wellington boots, 2 bars of soap, and a bag of NPK fertilizer.

Isaac Adjei won the first runner-up position. He took home a pack of roofing sheets, a wheelbarrow, a knapsack sprayer, a piece of cloth, 2 pruning saws, a shear weedicide, a pack of insecticide, 4 cutlasses, a Wellington boot, 2 bars of soap, and a bag of NPK fertilizer.

"Yeki Eco Village picked up the 2nd runner-up position, taking home a pack of roofing sheets, a wheelbarrow, a knapsack sprayer, a piece of cloth, 2 pruning saws, a shear, a pack of weedicide, 5 cutlasses, a Wellington boot, 2 bars of soap and a bag of NPK fertilizer.

Other winners on the day were Peace and Love FBO for Best Farmer-based Organisation, Franklin Kofi Vormawor for Best Innovative Farmer, Isaac Narh Tetteh for Best Fish Farmer, Andrews Padi as Best Vegetable Farmer, Justice Otoo for Best Agric Staff, Doris Badjo Tetteh as best Market Woman, and Samuel Kojo Hughes as Best Rice Farmer.

In other categories, the University of Ghana SIREC fish farm won the Best Fish Farm and Isaac Narh Tetteh for Best Maize Farmer.

Mr. Numo who has been farming for 38 years in an interview with GhanaWeb denounced the notion of farming being a punishment. According to him, farming is a lucrative business, especially in this unemployment situation.

He encouraged the youth to appreciate the advantages of farming and take it up as a source of livelihood.

Agric Director for Lower Manya Krobo, Mr. Godswill Komla Glanti tasked the government to address the deplorable state of roads in the farming communities as it hindered the smooth transportation of farm produce from the farms to the market centers.

The middle belt of Lower Manya Krobo serves as the food basket of the area. However, bad roads remain one of the most pressing needs of farmers.

Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) For Lower Manya Krobo, Simon Kweku Tetteh said works are underway to open up the place for easy transportation.

He urged the farmers to continue with their good works of producing food for the municipality and surrounding districts.