Kodie (Ash), Nov. 8, GNA - Seventeen farmers were on Friday honoured at Kodie, the district capital of the Afigya-Kwabre District of the Ashanti Region in the 24th anniversary celebration of National Farmers Day. The celebration was under the theme "Globalization: It's Effect on Agriculture Production in Ghana". Mr. Kofi Mensah, a 45 year-old farmer at Adubinso-Besease, was adjudged the overall best farmer in the district and received a refrigerator, four pairs of Wellington boots, a bicycle, a spraying machine, four bars of key soap and certificate as his prize. The other 16 award winners also received prizes including bicycles, Wellington boots, key soap, spraying machine, television sets and certificates.

Mr. Kwasi Karirkari-Achamfour, the Afigya-Kwabre District Chief Executive, in an address, said the agriculture sector is the backbone of the economy and that 60 per cent of the growing population is engaged in the sector. He noted that it was in the light of this that the farmers day celebration was instituted by the government to honour dedicated farmers and fishermen for their immense contributions towards the socio-economic development of the country. Mr. Karikari-Achamfour said the government has over the years put in some interventions including the Cocoa Mass Cocoa Spraying Exercise, subsidy in the form of fertilizer, access to credit facilities through poverty alleviation funds and financial institutions to help boost the sector.

The DCE commended the award winners for their immense contributions and urged them to continue to be dedicated and committed to help sustain the economy. Mr Yeboah Asuamah, the Acting District Director of Agriculture appealed to farmers to liaise with the Agricultural Extension Agents of the District Directorate of Agriculture to enable them more on modern methods of farming to improve their yield. He said agriculture is a viable venture and therefore asked the youth to be interested in farming to help them improve their livelihood and contribute meaningfully towards development. Nana Owusu Panin Ababio, chief of Kodie, who presided over the function, commended the government for instituting the occasion and expressed the hope that it would motivate farmers more to increase productivity in the agricultural sector country.