Accra Nov. 13, GNA - Mr Ernest A. Debrah, Minister of Food and Agriculture on Thursday appealed to banking institutions to join his ministry to brainstorm on how to change the face of agriculture in the country.

"This is an agrarian economy and it is when the agriculture sector develops that income will grow to allow for higher level of savings and investments from our people."

The Minister made the appeal when the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) handed over a three bedroom house to the 2006 National Best Farmer, Mr Mohammed Tetteh Akpah at a ceremony at Prampram in the Greater Accra Region.

The 6,000 Ghana cedi house formed part of the sponsorship package to the nation's best farmers by the bank every year. Since 2001, ADB had taken up the sponsorship of the first prize of the three-bedroom house to upgrade the prize offered by government. The winner selects a place of choice where the house is built.

While the seventh house for the 2007 National Best Farmer is under construction at Adako-Jachie near Ejisu in the Ashanti Region, this year best farmer, Dr Simon Sako is yet to identify the site for his prize for the same prize.

Presenting the keys to the best farmer, Mr Debrah said the national prizes were awarded to farmers and fishermen not only to reward hardworking and deserving ones but also to attract the youth into agriculture.

"Government had also pursued a policy of direct intervention to make available production of inputs for small farmers on credit. Under this policy over 100,000 small farmers are supported annually with cash and inputs to grow maize, sorghum and rice." According to the Minister, government had also reduced prices of fertilizers through a 50 per cent fertilizer price subsidy pointing out that a price of fertilizer which was sold at GH 52.00 was now being sold at GH 26.00.

To cater for the poor and vulnerable farmers in remotest areas, the Minister said prices of subsidized fertilizer was now uniform through out the country adding, that had encouraged farmers to apply more fertilizer to increase food production and improve their farm incomes. Mr Debrah said 1,600 pieces of vari-mini lower capacity tractors and 326 power tillers had also been imported and were being distributed to small farmers.

He commended ADB for providing houses to the nation's best farmers over the years.

Mr Paul S.M. Koranteng, ADB Board chairman who handed over the keys to the house to the Minister said the bank had introduced various interventions such as mango plantation in the Tamale, Upper East and Upper West Regions as a way of reducing poverty. Mr Yaw Opoku Atuahene, Managing Director, ADB said sponsorship of the Nations Best Farmer Award was not only the banks social responsibility to farmers and fishermen but to complement banking services that it offered to agriculture sector. He therefore appealed to MOFA to take a second look at the distribution of prizes to avoid over concentration on a few award categories.

Sheik I.C. Quaye, Greater Accra Regional Minister expressed gratitude the region had produced one of the nation's best farmers and emphasised the need to support peasant farmers in the area. Elated Mohammed Tetteh Akpah commended the government and the bank for supporting farmers. Mr Akpah appealed to government to curb the upsurge of tugs who harass people on their farms.