The overall best farmer for Upper-Manya Krobo District, Mr Walter Drayie, has advised farmers in the district to stop burning their farms in the bid to hunt for grass cutters and rabbits.

Mr Drayie, who is a fire officer in the district, said many burnt farms in the district were often caused by the use of fire in parts of farms for hunting grass cutters and rabbits.

He said it was pathetic to see people’s life investment in their farms destroyed by fire within a short time just because of such practice and pledged to embark on sensitization and awareness creation.

The 40-year old fire officer was adjudged the best farmer among 17 others.

The district best farmer has 20 acres of maize plantation, four acres of okro, poultry farm with 2,500 layers, 14 fish cages stocked with 140,000 fingerlings and a canoe.

For his prize, the district best farmer took away a bicycle, two bundles of roofing sheets, two knapsack sprayers, 10 cutlasses, a wheelbarrow, a pair of wellington boots, watering cans and hose, a radio set and a full piece of wax print cloth among others.

Other award winners are Felix Odjao, a tutor at the Aseseswa Senior High Schoo(SHS) who won the best plantain farmer award, Peace Hulla, a teacher who won the best ruminant farmer award, Comfort Angmor, best cocoyam farmer award, Eunice Marku Lawer, best pepper farmer and Nartekie Kwenor best fish processor.

Otranya Adensu Farmers Association was adjudged the best Farmer Based Organization (FBO), Naomi Larko won the district best woman in agriculture award and Otum Nartey Manasseh was adjudged the best youth farmer.

Mr Joseph Tetteh Angmor, the District Chief Executive, congratulated the award winners and thanked all farmers in the district for their hard work.

He said, despite the challenges such as poor road infrastructure, the farmers had not relented in their efforts.

Mr Geoffrey Honu, the District Director of Agriculture, appealed to the farmers to avoid indiscriminate use of agrochemicals since it is dangerous to their health.