By Christopher Tetteh, GNA
Sansama-Techiman (BE/R), Dec. 11, GNA - Mr. John Kofi Donyina, the Techiman South Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) has urged Agricultural Extension Agents (AEAs) to intensify the education of farmers about the uses of agro-chemicals to sustain the fertility of their farmlands.
He noted about 60 per cent of the nation’s farming groups were those engaged in small scale farming, hence the need to inculcate in them modern agronomic practices and agribusiness technical know-how to attain high productivity to boost food security in the country.
Mr. Donyina was speaking at the Municipality’s durbar to mark the 35th edition of National Farmers’ Day celebration at Sansama-Techiman in the Bono East Region.
The event, on the theme “Enhancing Small Scale Agriculture Towards Agribusiness Development” was to motivate and give confidence to peasant farmers to attract more people to go into farming as a business to contribute to the nation’s economic growth.
He said the correct usage and proper application of agro-chemicals by the farmers would also guarantee their health and safety because the incidence of contracting ailments would be prevented.
Mr. Donyina therefore charged AEAs, especially in the Municipality to embark on such education as a matter of importance because engaging in agri-business through the proper application of chemicals multiplied yields for the economic benefit of the farmer and the country.
The MCE added that equipping farmers with the knowledge and modernised way of applying agro-chemicals would prepare the farmlands to be fertile for cultivation to give impetus to the Planting for Food and Jobs Programme.
Mr James Adu, the Municipal Director of Agriculture reiterated farming in recent years had become a lucrative business and therefore appealed to the youth not to see it as an adventure for the uneducated persons, but an opportunity to make wealth and transform their livelihoods.
Nana Ameyaw Manu, the Vice President of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana was declared the overall Municipal Best Farmer.
Besides, 14 others including; the first and second runner-ups were honoured as Best Farmers of different categories in the Municipality.
It included Cocoa, Youth, Female, Physically-challenged, Fish, Livestock, Crop, Poultry and Vegetable and were awarded with certificates and modern farming equipment and tools to improve their outputs.
GNA
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