Dabaa (Ash), Nov 8, GNA - Mr. Paul Adu-Gyamfi, Chairman of the National Media Commission (NMC) on Friday emerged the best citrus farmer at the Atwima-Nwabiagya District Farmers' Day celebration held at Dabaa near Akropong in Ashanti.

For his prize, he was given a certificate, wall clock, piece of cloth, Wellington boots and radio cassette player. However, the overall best district farmer went to Mr. Maxwell Nsiah Baffour from Fufuo near Barekese and for his prize received a 21-inch television set, wax print, Wellington boots, wall clock and a radio cassette player. Madam Rachael Pokuaa from Seidi was adjudged the best district women's farmer and was given a pair of Wellington boots, radio cassette player, wax print and a certificate. About 30 other farmers were also honoured. Addressing the gathering, Mr Thomas Ofori Donkor, the District Chief Executive, said government was committed to instituting a pension scheme for farmers to give meaning to their lives during their old age.

He also assured farmers that government would continue to provide them with incentive packages to motivate them in their work such as scholarship schemes for their children and sensitizing them through workshops and fora to build their capacity and improve their skills in modern agriculture.

Mr Ofori-Donkor noted that the district directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) had in the past year trained 500 farmers in the area in grasscutter and snail rearing, stressing that this was meant and also designed to help them venture into the other agricultural sectors to improve their living conditions. Madam Josephine Amoo, the District Director of MOFA, commended the award winners for their sterling performance and hard work and called on non-award winners to strive hard in their work so that government could recognize them in future.