A 58-year-old farmer, Mr. Imoro Zakaria from the Kogni Community in the Tamale Metropolis, was on Friday adjudged the best farmer for the Tamale Metropolis and received a pocket of roofing sheets, a bicycle, knapsack sprayer, half piece of cloth and a radio set.

Twenty-three other farmers who distinguished themselves were given prices and told to continue working hard to increase food production in the country.

Mr. Zakaria who cultivated maize, rice, yam, livestock including cattle and fowls was elated for the award but appealed to the government to take steps to improve agriculture.

He complained that much of agriculture in the country was largely rain-fed while farming inputs like fertilizer and other chemicals come in late.

The day was marked under the theme; “Grow more food: strengthening farmer-based organization for marketplace bargaining power”.

Mr. Zakaria appealed to the government to make more tractors and other agricultural implements available to farmers to make farming more attractive. Alhaji Abdulai Harruna Friday, the Tamale Metro Chief Executive, said the government in a bid to increase food production and reduce food insecurity, assisted 1,134 farmers out of which 101 females were assisted to cultivate various crops under the block farming system.

He said 1,176 hectares of maize, rice and soyabeans were cultivated under the block farming system adding that 744,881 bags of fertilizer were given to farmers at subsidized rates.

Mr. Steven Yakubu, Tamale Metro Director of MoFA, said the government assisted 1,700 farmers and under the crop sub-sector, 1,56o acres of rice, 1,225 acres of maize and 156 acres of soyabean were cultivated.