Oframase(E/R), Dec. 2, GNA - A 44-year-old night watchman at Nkawkaw Secondary School won the Kwahu West District best farmer award at District Best Farmers' Award ceremony held at Aframase near Nkawkaw on Friday.

Mr Kwame Salifu has 18 cattle, 45 sheep and goats, 10 hectares of maize, eight hectares of oil palm, 12 hectares of sugar cane, five hectares of plantain and cassava.

He took home a bicycle, two packets of roofing sheets, a peace of cloth, a wall clock, a pair of Wellington boot, a radio cassette and a certificate.

Seventeen other farmers, including a 42-year-old disabled person, Mr Attah Owusu, who won the District best cocoa farmer award, were also honoured.

The District Chief Executive, Nana Kofi Kese, said youth involvement in agriculture would provide them with sustainable employment and also help to accelerate the economic development of the nation.

He said, 80,000 oil palm seedlings have been distributed to 32 groups under the PSI on oil palm while 425.5 million cedis has been granted to 10 grass cutter farmers groups, five individual poultry farmers for the rearing of guinea fowls, construction of cribs for maize storage and provision of oil palm processing equipment. He appealed to farmers who have refused to pay the various credit facilities to pay up for others to benefit. The out-going District Director of Agriculture, Dr Joseph Abuh, said the district lacked adequate agriculture extension officers.

Daasebre Akuamoah Boateng II, the Paramount Chief of the Kwahu Traditional Area, advised the youth to take advantage of government programmes to go into agriculture.