Atia (Ash), Dec 7, GNA - Mr Frederick Gamor Mensah was on Friday adjudged the best farmer for the Ejisu-Juaben District at this year's National Farmers' Day held at Atia, near Ejisu.

For his prize, he got a spraying machine, half piece of cloth, four cutlasses, a pair of Wellington boots, a bar of soap, a radio cassette player and a certificate.

In all, 15 farmers were honoured for their immense contribution towards agriculture in the District in particular and the country in general. They were given wall clocks, three cutlasses, a pair of Wellington boots, a bar of soap and a certificate each.

Addressing the farmers, Mr Yaw Ahenkora Afrifa, District Chief Executive, announced that a cassava factory would soon be built in the District to process cassava into starch under the President's Special Initiative (PSI) on cassava to create employment for the youth.

He, therefore, asked the youth to form groups or co-operatives so that they could access loans to go into cassava production or any other venture they wanted to undertake.

Mr Afrifa commended the farmers for their hard work and urged them to apply new techniques in farming such as the use of fertiliser to boost their production.

Mr Dwomoh Sarpong, Presiding Member of the Assembly, advised the farmers to send their children to school even in the face of difficulties.

Mr Alfred Nana Nsiah, Acting District Director of Food and Agriculture, appealed to the chiefs not to sell land for only building purposes but give some out for agricultural purposes for the production of food.

Nana Ofosu Kobi, Krontihene of Atia, who chaired the function, expressed his appreciation and that of his people to the Assembly for organising the function in the town.