KWAEBIBIREM CELEBRATES 39TH NATIONAL FARMERS' DAY AT PRAMKASE ON 1ST DEC, 2023

THE 39^TH FARMERS DAY CELEBRATION AT PRAMKESE - KWAEBIBIREM MUNICIPAL ON 1^ST DECEMBER, 2023

The theme for the 39^th Municipal Farmers’ Day Celebration was: DELIVERING SMART SOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURITY AND RESILIENCE. As part of the activities, a farmers’ day celebration planning committee was inaugurated and chaired by the Hon. Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Hon Antwi Boasiako. Sub-committees, totaling five, were also formed to organise the preparatory work for the success of the celebration. They were;

1. Refreshment & entertainment / protocol sub-committee chaired by Municipal Planning officer

2. Ground sub-committee chaired by Municipal works engineer

3. Transport sub-committee chaired by Assistant Director IIA

4. Publicity sub-committee chaired by Assistant Director I

5. Awards sub-committee chaired by Municipal Director of Agriculture

The committee sat once.

The Department of Agriculture prepared the budget for the celebration. The Municipal Assembly approved a budget of One Hundred and Thirty-Two Thousand and thirty-six Ghana Cedis, Thirty Pesewas (GH¢132,036.30) for the celebration.

The event started at exactly 10:45am with the arrival of the representative of the Member of Parliament, Hon. Alexander Kwadjo Agyare and the Municipal Chief Executive, Hon. Antwi Boasiako. and his entourage. It was followed by Nana Barima Ofori Frempong II, Chief of Pramkese and his kinsmen and other chiefs from surrounding communities.

The opening prayer was said by the representatives from the three religions, followed by introduction of dignitaries by Mr. Abrokwa Boateng, the Municipal Information Officer (M.I.O) who doubled as the MC for the function.

In his welcome address, Nana Barima Ofori Frempong spoke on the theme for the celebration: “DELIVERING SMART SOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURITY AND RESILIENCE”. He encouraged farmers to easily adopt smart solutions to agricultural challenges so that food security and resilience could be sustained.

The MCE took some time to make a presentation of fifty bags of cement to the people of Amoako community to complete a bridge under construction.

The Municipal Agriculture Director, Madam Joyce Kyeraa in her address reminded the gathering that they all had gathered to recognize the efforts of researchers, farmers, administrators, transporters, traders and other actors along the agriculture value chain for their immense contribution to agricultural growth and also making it possible for the increasing population of Ghana to be fed daily.

The Director said the Department of Agriculture, under the Modernizing Agriculture in Ghana programme funded by the Canadian International Development Agency, and had undertaken series of activities: They included farmers’ fora, demonstrations, staff and farmer trainings, animal vaccinations, radio talk shows, farm and home visit among others. According to her all these were aimed at ensuring economic growth, food security, poverty reduction and improving livelihood of our cherished farmers. She also encouraged farmers to adopt every new technology they are introduced to by their AEAs since these are smart solutions to the various challenges that beset them in their daily activities.

The Director in concluding her speech urged all farmers, especially the award winners to work harder to win regional and national awards. She also thanked the Management of the Municipal Assembly for their continuous support to the Department of Agriculture and funding of the Farmers’ Day Celebration every year and expressed her gratitude to others who supported in various ways.

The representative of the Member of Parliament in a brief speech explained why the Member of Parliament could not attend himself and apologized. He mentioned government policies and programs such as provision of fertilizers to famers at subsidized prizes, planting for food and jobs, Free Senior High School, free provision of chemicals to farmers to combat the Fall Army Worms menace. He congratulated the farmers for their efforts in agricultural production within the Municipality.

Honourable Antwi Boasiako (MCE), in his speech also commented on the theme for the celebration, “DELIVERING SMART SOLUTIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURITY AND RESILIENCE”. The MCE stated that the government is fulfilling its obligation of creating the necessary environment through policy interventions and other incentives to motivate farmers to play their role more effectively. He also opined that it was necessary to demonstrate sensitivity to the needs of farmers to enable them optimize productivity, build resilience, and attain a level of competitiveness derived from the efficient use of resources and technology, hence the theme for the celebration.

He also mentioned some government policies geared towards enhancing agricultural activities, which include:

• Alternative Livelihood Project by Mineral Commission
• Planting for Food and Jobs
• Fall Army Worm situation

Under the alternative livelihood project of the Minerals Commission of Ghana a total of 202 farmers received 33,120 oil palm seedlings.

The MCE, in his final remarks congratulated the farmers for their efforts in promoting agriculture production in the Municipality.

The Director of Agriculture led the Municipal Chief Executive, the rep of the Member of Parliament and other dignitaries to inspect farm produce brought by farmers as well as items to be presented to award winners.

There was presentation of awards to deserving farmers. 17 farmers and 1 Agricultural Extension Agent received awards. The overall Municipal Best Farmer was Mr. Sampson Gadri and he received 1 Tricycle, 1 pair of Wellington boot, 1 knap sack sprayer, 2 weedicides. 2 cutlasses, 1litre of foliar fertilizer ½ piece of cloth.

 Mr. Charles Agyei Tenkorang, the 1^st Runner up Farmer received 1 motor bike, 2 liters of weedicide, 1 pair of Wellington boot, 1 knap sack sprayer, 2 cutlasses, 1 liter of foliar fertilizer

The overall Best Woman Farmer went to Beatrice Asabea, and she received 1 double decker fridge, ½ piece of cloth, 2 cutlasses, 2 liters of Weedicide, 1litre of foliar fertilizer, 1 pair of wellington boot, 1 knap sack sprayer,

Winners of the other disciplines received various items.

The Overall Best Farmer for 2022 handed over his crown to the newly crowned Best Farmer. He encouraged his successor to be hard working at all times so as to boost agriculture production in the Municipality and the country at large.

The crowned Municipal Best Farmer for the year 2023, in his brief remarks thanked the entire gathering and his fellow farmers for their contribution towards Agriculture. He urged them to be very industrious to help produce more to feed their communities, the entire Municipality and the nation at large. He also assured the gathering that, he will work hard to improve upon her farming business in the coming years.

Vote of thanks was delivered by Sampson Beatrice Asabea, the Best Woman Farmer.

 The closing prayer was said to bring the occasion to a successful end at 1:45pm.

39^TH MUNICIPAL FARMERS' DAY (2023)

LIST OF ITEMS TO BE AWARDED