Ho, Dec. 5, GNA - Mr Isaac Kodobisah, Ho Municipal Chief Executive, on Friday advised farmers to move from the old methods of farming to that of modern mechanized farming.

He said subsistence agriculture must give way to commercial farming which would lay more emphasis on Agribusiness.

MrKodobisah gave the advice at the 25th Ho Municipal Farmers Day celebrations held at Akrofu, which was on the theme, Accelerated Agricultural Modernization for Food Security and Economic Transformation` Madam Anita Kudaye from Hodzo was adjudged the overall Municipal best farmer and was presented with a motorcycle, one microwave oven, a pair of Wellington boots, a knapsack, a piece of cloth, two cutlasses and a certificate as her price.

Twenty two others, who also excelled in the production of various food crops and animal rearing, were also given awards Mr Kodobisah called on farmers to aim at reducing the high post harvest losses, which he said currently stood at about 30 percent.

He said the Assembly in consultation with land owners in the Municipality would create Land Banks for agricultural projects and appealed to the youth to take advantage of it and go into farming as a vocation. Mr Kodobisah said the Assembly was sourcing for funds to reconstruct the Ho Central market and other satellite markets in the Municipality to enable farmers to market their produce.

Mr Anthony Tabi, Ho Municipal Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), appealed to farmers to be protagonists of their own development, as the provision of technology or investment alone could not improve their standard of living in a sustainable way. He said MOFA would expand the coverage of extension services in the Municipality, through the formation of Farmer Based Organizations. 05 Dec. O9