District Chief Executive (DCE) for Sagnarigu in the Northern Region, Hon Iddrisu Mariam, has urged farmers in the district to grow more to feed the nation.
According to her, there can never be a strong economy and great nation without the farmer, adding that farmers were key to economic growth and industrialisation of the country.
The DCE noted that farmers were the backbone of every society, stressing that the role farmers play in economic development can never be overemphasised.
The Sagnarigu DCE who was speaking at the 33rd National Farmers Day celebration held at Gbirima in the district urged farmers to continue their hard work for the benefit of the society.
This year’s Farmers’ Day’s celebration was on theme: “Planting for Food and Jobs.”
Hon Mariam said NPP government in recognising the importance of farmers has created a lot of avenues for farmers to produce more to feed the nation and also improve their livelihoods.
She said farmers today are in high spirits because of the various interventions that were coming their way, stressing that the desire to go into farming by the youth was very encouraging.
Hon Mariam said the Planting for Food and Jobs programme initiated by the NPP government was aimed at increasing production and improving the lot of farmers.
She said government in its quest to make planting food and jobs programme a reality has subsidised fertilisers and farming inputs for about 557 farmers within the district.
She explained that farmers have been asked to pay 25 per cent of the subsidised amount of 50 per cent before harvesting and pay the remaining 25 per cent after harvesting.
To this end, the DCE urged farmers to pay the remaining 25 per cent to enable the programme succeed.
“Our farmers need to put more efforts to ensure they pay the balance for the assembly to help more farmers to also benefit,” she said.
Hon Iddrisu said the Akufo-Addo-led government was committed to ensuring employment for Ghanaians through the agricultural sector.
Mohammed Abdul Majeed, a 50-year-old farmer from Gbirima, won the Overall Best Farmer in the district. He received a certificate, tricycle, 2 cutlasses, a pair of Wellington Boots, 1 snap sack, sprayer, 2 bags of compound fertilisers, 2 bags of compost, 1 maize thresher, 1 piece of cloth and 1 radio set.
Other distinguished farmers from various categories in the agric sector also received some farming inputs from the assembly.
This year’s Overall Best Farmer in the Sagnarigu District, Mohammed Abdul Majeed, thanked government for initiating various programmes in the agric sector, especially the Planting for Food and Jobs programme.
Story: From Hamza Lansah Lolly, ATV, Sagnarigu, Northern Region
Writer’s email: lollyw2k91@gmail.com