Kwatire (B/A), Dec. 3, GNA - Nana Kwame Boadi, a farmer of Odomase in the Sunyani Municipality on Friday emerged the best Sunyani District farmer at the award ceremony held at Kwatire. Nana Kwame Boadi cultivated 11 acres of cocoa, and 10 acres of maize. He also has to his credit poultry and citrus farm which he cultivates on a large scale. The day was celebrated under the theme: "Agriculture Production - The Key To Growth And Poverty Reduction".

For his prize, Nana Boadi took home a tabletop fridge, a Wellington boot, five calendars and a certificate of merit from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Later, in an interview with the GNA, Nana Boadi said the award came as a very big surprise to him, adding that it would motivate him to step up food production. "I least expected the award. This would encourage me to expand my business for personal development and the benefit of society in general," he told the GNA. He urged colleague farmers to work so they can also be rewarded in the coming year.

In his opening speech, Nana Kwame Korang IV, Omanhene of Awuah Dumasi, appealed to the youth to halt migrating to the urban areas to seek 'white collar' jobs and rather take active interest in farming to reduce poverty. Mr. Kwame Twumasi Appiah, Municipal Chief Executive, appealed to inhabitants to register with the National Health Insurance Scheme, saying, it was the only way they could access affordable and quality health service delivery. He urged parents to take advantage of the Free Compulsory Universal Basic Education Programme and enrol their children in schools.

Mrs Evelyn Opare, Municipal Director of Food and Agriculture, noted that the youth constituted a greater labour force for the development of the agricultural sector and that the government had instituted a special credit facility for young people in the municipality to enable them venture into agriculture. She said under the Fund for Agricultural Budgetary support, 1.4 billion cedis had been released for operators in the private sector for food processing, marketing and storage. She said sunflower production was being promoted to fill the oil processing plant at Kwatire. The occasion also saw the launch of a 100-member Anti-Bush Fire Volunteer Squad.