General News of Saturday, 2 December 2017

Source: ghananewsagency.org

Ghana urged to do more for farmers and fishermen

About 80% of total agricultural production is attributed to smallholder farmers including women About 80% of total agricultural production is attributed to smallholder farmers including women

The Managing Director of Tema Lube Oil Company Limited, Mr. Amos Donkoh, says Ghana could do more for farmers in view of the tremendous role they play in the socio-economic development of the nation.

“For now we are trying, but there is more room for improvement. This is because they are doing a lot for the national economy, and if there is a way we can appreciate them the more I think it would boost their morale for productivity,” he said.

He said this on Tuesday in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the sidelines of the presentation of 20 bicycles by Tema Lube Oil to the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA) in support of the 2017 farmers’ day celebrations.

In responding to the nature of support that must be given to farmers, he observed the need to invest more in storage facilities in the districts as a way of reducing post harvest loses “which reduce the profit margins of most farmers.”

He added that, “We should support farmers in their operations by providing them with seedlings, fertilizers, and technical know-how. In times when prices of products are going down they can be guaranteed good prices to give them security in their finances.”

He observed that the farmers and fishermen of Ghana have done a great deal of work for the nation “so we should support them in anything that is done to uplift their image as fellow workers of this country.”

“It is something we have been doing for a long time and TMA knows that when it came to farmers’ day, they could always rely on Lube Oil for support,” he added.

He congratulated the farmers and ask individuals and organizations to “in their own small way support and encourage farmers in their activities.”