Yilo Krobo marks 41st Farmers' Day with renewed commitment to food security

The Yilo Krobo Municipality in the Eastern Region on Friday, December 5, 2025, celebrated the 41st National Farmers’ Day at Huhunya with renewed commitments to strengthening food security, modernising agriculture, and empowering the next generation of farmers.

The event, held under the national theme “Feed Ghana, Eat Ghana, Secure the Future,” brought together traditional leaders, state officials, farmers, development partners, and community members to honour the men and women sustaining Ghana’s food system.

Addressing the gathering, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Francis Akumatey, underscored the strategic importance of agriculture in Ghana’s transformation agenda. He described farmers and fisherfolk as “the backbone of the national economy and guardians of food security,” adding that the 2025 theme was a call to action for citizens to embrace local consumption and support domestic food production.

According to the MCE, the government of President John Dramani Mahama has embarked on a bold agricultural modernisation drive, including the establishment of agro-industrial hubs for rice, cashew, poultry feed, and onions. The flagship Feed Ghana Programme (FGP), he noted, is reshaping rural economies through small dam construction, irrigation rehabilitation, and the rollout of solar-powered boreholes to ensure year-round water access. These interventions, he said, have contributed to a significant decline in national food inflation—from 61% in 2023 to 9.5% in October 2025.

Akumatey highlighted Yilo Krobo’s proactive role in the national agenda, revealing that 211 farmer groups comprising 4,220 farmers have been sensitised under the FGP framework. The municipality also distributed 19,464 oil palm seedlings and 1,000 coconut seedlings to 125 farmers under the Minerals Commission support scheme.

In collaboration with the UN University, the Municipal Agriculture Department completed a climate-friendly gari processing centre at Namusi. The Assembly is also partnering with the Government of the Netherlands to establish a seed bank at Abrewankor to preserve indigenous crop varieties—an initiative the MCE described as “critical for safeguarding future food sovereignty.”

The Member of Parliament for Yilo Krobo, Albert Tetteh Nyakotey, commended farmers for their indispensable role in national development. He announced that the government will roll out a health insurance scheme for cocoa farmers and accelerate road construction to key farming communities, including Huhunya–Boti–Tsotsonya, Sikabene–Agogo–Ahinkwah, and Huhunya–Akpo–Akapamu. As part of this year’s celebration, the MP donated a tricycle to the Municipal Assembly for presentation to the 2025 Best Farmer.

Municipal Director of Agriculture, Benjamin Bortey Alabi, urged Ghanaians to embrace local consumption habits as an expression of economic patriotism. He called for greater youth participation in agribusiness through climate-smart technologies, value addition, and modern production methods, noting that “a food-secure Ghana is a strong Ghana.”

The ceremony celebrated excellence across 23 award categories, including cassava, rice, garden eggs, roots and tubers, vegetable production, livestock, oil palm, mango, pepper, processing, innovation, physically challenged farmers, and youth farmers.

The Overall Best Farmer, Dr Jonas Tetteh Numo, constituency vice-chairman of the ruling NDC, received a tricycle, spraying machine, Wellington boots, cutlasses, egg crates, insecticides, organic fertiliser, and other inputs. Runners-up also received farm machinery, slashing equipment, water pumps, protective clothing, and other essential tools. Joseph Kwadwo Nkrumah, 47, and Adamtey Simon Otis, 45, were named first and second runners-up, respectively.

The 2025 Municipal Best Farmer expressed gratitude for the honour and dedicated the award to all hardworking farmers of Yilo Krobo, including former national best farmers Joseph Kwesi Odjeayem and Davis Narh Korboe. He acknowledged the support of his wife, family, friends, agricultural extension officers, and the Municipal Assembly.

Numo also appealed for stronger government support for the sector, including more agricultural staff, increased funding, improved rural roads, and the provision of storage facilities to reduce post-harvest losses, stressing that these interventions would help position Yilo Krobo as a model of agricultural excellence.

In his closing remarks, chairman of the occasion, Asawatse of Sra and Huhunya, Nene Narh-Korli Bedjrah IV, emphasised the need for financial support for youth to venture into farming, noting that sustainable agribusiness growth depends on empowering young people.

He appealed for government assistance to complete a community-initiated police station, replace the deteriorated public toilet facility, and build a community centre.

The 41st Farmers’ Day celebration in Yilo Krobo ended with renewed optimism, reflecting the collective resolve of leaders, farmers, and institutions to feed the nation, promote local consumption, and build a sustainable agricultural future.