The 37th edition of the National Farmers’ Day in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality was celebrated on 3rd December, 2021, at Nkwanta, a suburb of Nsuaem in the Municipality. The theme for this year’s celebration was “Planting For Food And Jobs-Consolidating Food Systems in Ghana”.
Items received by award winners included; Tricycle, refrigerators, wheel barrows, cutlasses, fertilizers, boots, shovels, agro chemicals, mattresses, television sets, among others items.
Alhaji Isaka Moro, a 57 year old man was adjudged the overall best farmer in the Municipality. He received a Tricycle, Wheel Barrow, Spraying Machine, Cocoa Fertilizer, a high density double size mattress, 5-Plastic Chairs, a set of Cutlasses, Full piece of Cloth, Wellington Boot, Shovels, Motorized Sprayer machine and 2-Knapsack sprayer.
Receiving the award, the best farmer recounted how he entered into the farming business which has started yielding good result. He therefore advised the youth to take farming very serious.
Also at the ceremony, Nana Kwamena Adade II, Paramount Chief of Nsuaem Division who was the chairman of the programme applauded the organizers for hosting the 2021 national farmers day at Nkwanta and urged them to do more to boost the number of farmers in the municipality.
Municipal Agric Director, Nana Banyin Acquah Thompson addressing dignitaries present at the event said “this year’s theme is reminding them of a proper post, harvest management and the need to add value to their products, considering all factors along the food value chain. “The ultimate end is to achieve full security in the country and to increase farmers’ income, having enough raw materials for their industrial process and to create employment for the youth”.
Hon. George Mireku Duker, Member of Parliament for Tarkwa Nsuaem/Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources assured the farmers of a cocoa district office that would be established at either Simpa or Dompim to save them from the stress of travelling to Tarkwa for fertilizer.
Hon. Benjamin Kessie, Municipal Chief Executive for Tarkwa-Nsuaem, in his speech explained that the people of Nkwanta have contributed tremendously to farming and fishing, hence the decision to celebrate this year’s event in the community. He said the government’s aim to increase agricultural productivity and create more jobs has been successful with over 15,000 beneficiaries under the ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ initiative launched in the Municipality since 2017.
According to him, 15,857 farmers have benefited from the government subsidized commodities which includes rice, maize and vegetable seeds.
He further disclosed that, under the planting for export and rural development (PERD), the assembly nursed and distributed about 10,000 coconut seedlings and 50,000 oil palm seedlings to 905 farmers including 331 women. “Over the past three (3) years, the assembly has also distributed 92,600 oil palm seedlings and 23,100 coconut seedlings respectively to 1,772 farmers including 701 female farmers. This is in a bid to secure enough raw materials to feed the oil palm processing factory under the One District, One factory initiative at Dompim”.
Hon. Benjamin Kessie, said a total of 12,620 farmers’ corporative groups in the Municipality were given 250 motorized spraying machine with 37,240 liters premix fuel to be used for spraying cocoa pest.
In an attempt to revamp old farmers or farms seriously affected by diseases and pests, 76.7 hectares farms shave been treated and supplied with 84,337 plantain suckers and 1,380 economy trees for planting in the cocoa farms. In a final remarks, the MCE urged everybody to patronize made in Ghana food and other products.