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AGRICULTURE

Offinso Municipal observes 2019 National Farmer’s Day

Mr. Philip Adjei, the Municipal Agric Director in the Offinso Municipal Assembly has underscored the benefits of various agriculture intervention programmes initiated by the government such as Planting for Food & Jobs, Rearing for Food and Jobs, Fertilizer subsidy programme, and Planting for Export and Rural Development to food production.

Date Created : 12/11/2019 1:55:33 AM : Story Author : Stephen Nti/Ghanadistricts.com

According to him, under the Planting for Export and Rural Development initiative, 75,018 oil palm seedlings have been supplied to 300 farmers within 39 communities and 369,000 cocoa seedlings have also been supplied to over 800 farmers, all for free.

Speaking at this years’ farmers’ day celebration on the theme: “Enhancing Small scale Agriculture towards Agribusiness Development”, he added that government, in anticipation of the establishment of 1250 acres of oil palm farms in addition to existing farms has given a palm oil processing plant to the municipality under the 1D1F programme. He finally congratulated the farmers and entreated them to apply the directives given by the agric extension officers.

The Municipal Chief Executive, Solomon Kesseh said that the NPP government, through the many agriculture intervention programmes, is improving small-scale farming by helping the farmers to be business-minded, profit-oriented and to have efficient marketing strategies.

According to him, about 5553 farmers within the Offinso municipality have benefitted from the fertilizer subsidy programme since 2017 and this has eased the burden on farmers and generally improved crop yield.

Under the modernizing Agriculture programme, Mr. Kesseh said that the government through the Canadian government has supplied one vehicle and 12 motorbikes for extension services delivery to farmers within the municipality. Through this initiative, more farmers are being reached with services that have led to increased food production.

The 2017 and 2018 Municipal Best Farmers, Akua Mansah and Nana Owusu Aduomi II respectively were all nominated at the national awards in Ho. Mr. Kesseh used them to encourage all to work hard and embrace the Government flagship programmes relating to agriculture.

The Member of Parliament for the Offinso South Constituency, Ben Abdallah Banda revealed that the ‘Tree Crop Development Authority Bill’ passed before parliament will soon require that an institution be set up just like COCOBOD, to regulate the production, processing, and trading of tree crops such as mango, coconut, cashew, palm nut, and shear in Ghana. He finally encouraged farmers to plant tree crops and entreated them to utilize online marketing. The tricycle he donated was meant for the Municipal Best Farmer.

A 68yr old Alhassan Ibrahim emerged the Municipal Best Farmer. Born in Offinso Agyeimpra, he has been into farming for over 35 yrs. He boasts of 80 acres of maize plantation, 10 acres of yam, 20 acres of cocoa, 30 acres of teak, has 350 local birds, 60 cattle, 45 sheep, among others. He took away items such as tricycle, Wellington boot, 10 cutlasses, knapsack sprayer, and a radio set.

The 1st Runner-up, Mr. Iddrisu Issaka took away a motorbike, Wellington boot, 6 cutlasses, knapsack sprayer, and a radio set and the 2nd Runner-up, Grace Wiafe was given a refrigerator, Wellington boot, 6 cutlasses, knapsack sprayer, and a radio set.

Kokotehene and a representative of Nana Wiafe Akenten III, Nana Opoku Asiedu II chaired the event. Others in attendance were heads of department, nananom, media, and the general public.