Adam Musah emerges as the Municipal overall best farmer for Atebubu-Amantin

Thirty-eight-year-old Adam Musah from New Kokrompe emerged as the Atebubu-Amantin municipal overall best farmer for 2024 at last Friday's 40th Farmer’s Day awards held in Atebubu, the municipal capital.

The winner, who holds a Higher National Diploma in Human Resource Management and has 15 years of farming experience, manages about 400 acres of farmland.

He cultivates 120 acres of maize, 67 acres of cowpea, 50 acres of rice, 30 acres of water melons, 25 acres of neri, 20 acres of mangoes, 10 acres each of cassava, yams and garden eggs, 8 acres of pepper, 7 acres of cashew and 5 acres of coconuts.

He also keeps 45 cattle, 60 sheep, 35 goats, 200 local fowls, 125 guinea fowls, 120 exotic layer birds and 50 ducks.

The winner received a certificate, a tricycle, one half-piece wax print, three Wellington boots, three knapsack sprayers, a radio set, four cutlasses, three bars of key soap, and an assortment of agro inputs.

In a welcome address, the Atebubu-Amantin municipal director of the Department of Agriculture, Bright Atta Boateng, referenced the theme of the celebration, "Building Climate-Resilient Agriculture for Sustainable Food Security"’ emphasising the urgent need for innovative solutions to address the impact of climate change on agriculture.

“Rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, drought, flooding, pest infestation, and increased frequency of extreme weather events threaten crop yields, livestock productivity, and food availability,” he added.

Atta Boateng highlighted the need to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices such as crop rotation and planting early maturing, drought-tolerant, and high-yielding crop varieties.

He stressed the importance of investing in irrigation systems, encouraging water harvesting, promoting organic farming and agroforestry, developing and making available climate-resilient crop varieties, and enhancing farmers' access to weather information and insurance.

The Atebubu-Amantin municipal Coordinating Director, Joseph K.B. Tang, who read a speech on behalf of the Bono East regional minister, Hon. Kwasi Adu-Gyan, who also doubles as the acting Municipal Chief Executive for Atebubu-Amantin, said the theme of the celebration reflects the impact of climate change on agriculture and its consequences for food security.

“Food insecurity has been a long-standing developmental challenge for the continent of Africa. It has become further complicated because it is interwoven with social, economic, technological, political, and environmental systems, which serve as aggravating factors for the growing incontestable effects of climate change,” he indicated.

K.B Tang stated that food security exists when all people at all times have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food for their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. He added that it is in this regard that the current government introduced the Climate-Smart Agricultural Investment Plan to help identify interventions that will help the agricultural sector better adapt to climate change.

Faustina Amoakoa and Dauda Muniru emerged as the best crop and livestock farmers, respectively. They took home one double-door fridge and a television set each, along with some farming inputs. Mr. Phillip Deku, who was adjudged the best agriculture extension agent, received a brand new laptop computer along with other assorted items.

The function, chaired by Nana Kwabena Kyere III, Adontenhene of the Atebubu traditional area, was graced by a delegation of chiefs from the Amantin traditional area.