Begoro, Dec.4, GNA- The Fanteakwa District Assembly is to assist farming groups with irrigation farming as a means of improving agriculture in the area.

To this end, the Assembly had acquired irrigation machines, which would benefit five farming groups in the area for the start. The District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr Ebenezer Ofoe Caesar, who announced this at the 21st National Farmers Day celebration at Ehiamankyene, near Begoro, at the weekend, said the water for the irrigation project would be drawn from the Dedeso river. The DCE, who noted that the area was the main farming area in the district but was hampered in cultivation due to the reliance on rainwater, said farming had become difficult due to the lack of water to improve production and the lot of the farmers.

He said government was determined to improving the agriculture sector to an appreciable level and thanked the farmers who, through hard work had fed the people of the area so far.

The Member of Parliament for the area, Mr Kwadwo Adjei Addo, announced that due to the importance of agriculture in the improvement of the economy in the area, he would sponsor students who qualified to the tertiary institutions to pursue agriculture or science related courses.

He also thanked the farmers for their hard work that had seen the nation through a hunger-free times over the years and urged them to work harder to ensure that farm produce were not imported into the country. Fifteen distinguished farmers including two women were presented with prizes including Wellington Boots, half pieces of wax prints, cutlasses, lantern, watering cans and certificate for their hardwork. The Best District Farmer award went to Mr Freeman Odame Addo, from Bosuso who had a spraying machine, a radio tape recorder in addition to the general prizes.

The two women, Ms Salome Oduro from Apaa and Ms Bertha Tettey from Begoro were adjudged the best in maize cultivation and adoption of modern agricultural farming respectively.