Profile Of The 1st Runner-Up National Best Farmer – 2019

NANA YAW SARPONG SIRIBOE

(JUABEN MUNICPAL-ASHANTI REGION)

Background

Nana Yaw Sarpong Siriboe is a 40-year-old farmer at Juaben in the Ashanti region. Nana Sarpong has a post tertiary educational background and has been in farming for 16 years.  He is married with 4 children.  The farm is known as Siroboe’s Farm Ltd with enterprises located at Bomfa, Adawomase and Kubease, all in the Ashanti region. His farming enterprise employs a total of 16 full time workers 87 casual workers.

 Diversification of Farming

The Siriboe Farm Ltd is highly diversified with annual crops such as black pepper, vegetables, plantain, banana, rice, cassava yam, cowpea, cocoyam/taro, pigeon pea and  tree crops include, teak, Gliricidia, coconut, oil palm, citrus, ruminants, non-ruminants, aquaculture and other non-traditional farm commodities.  He has different poultry types, goats, cattle, pigs, guinea pigs, rabbits, grass cutters and snails. He also has 5 ponds well stocked with tilapia and catfish.

Degree of Integration of Farming Operations

Nana Sarpong Siriboe cultivates crops, rears farm animals keeps fish for very good reasons consistent with the principles of integration of farming operations.

• He uses the manure from the kraal and poultry pens to fertilize his maize fields.
• He uses money from the sales of the animals and the poultry to buy inputs and pays for labor
• The grains from the maize and the pigeon pea are used to formulate animal feed for the livestock and poultry.
• Money from the oil palm and other crops are also use to support the livestock.
• Maize stalk and sawdust are used in the IMO technology to reduce stench in pig pens

 Knowledge of Good Crop Production and Animal Husbandry Practices

In the Siriboe Farm Ltd, planting materials are acquired from credible sources such as MoFA and certified seed sellers. Planting of maize is mechanized while harvesting of maize and other crops are done manually. The farm uses inorganic and organic fertilizers for soil fertility management. There is supplementary irrigation during the dry season and dry periods during the raining season. The farmer has good working knowledge on GLOBALGAP as he intends to export some of his produce in the near future.

He has good knowledge of animal husbandry practices. The criteria used for selecting animals for breeding are appropriate. The animals he keeps were chosen based on their ready market potentials. They are housed properly to avoid causing damage to nearby farms and to facilitate vaccination. He often consults MoFA to assist him with control of pests and diseases. The animals are given supplementary feed made of crop waste (cassava peels, maize stalk and cowpea leaves) and water supplied using water tankers. The poultry and rabbitry are fitted with automatic drinkers. The farm has pack houses for harvested crops. His animals are advertised for direct sale while the fish both tilapia and catfish are processed for sale. 

Scale of Operation

The scale of operation of his enterprises is as follows:

Environmental Awareness

Nana Sarpong Siriboe understands and appreciates the environmental factors affecting his farming. He mentioned soil erosion, drought, floods and bushfires as some of the environmental problems he encounters on his fields. The environmentally friendly practices to ameliorate these factors include the planting of cover crops and ploughing across slopes of the fields. He relies on supplementary irrigation in times of drought. The cover crops also help to conserve soil moisture. In the case of floods, he harvests some of the water and the excess are channeled through canals out of the farm. The farm provides appropriate protective gears such as wellington boots, nose masks, hand gloves and goggles, and hats for all its workers and all empty agrochemical containers are recycled.

Constraints and Innovative Solution

The major constraints faced by Nana Sarpong include: 

• Inadequate skilled labour supply
• Theft of farm produce
• High cost of inputs
• Low market prices of products

Record Keeping

The farmer is well aware of the importance of keeping records. Records that he keeps include production, sales, income and expenditure and labour. The farmer’s reasons for keeping records include

• To determine profit and loss
• To measure performance at any point in time
• For reference purposes
• As a source of data for planning/budgeting/cash flow
• To monitor stock flow/check mortality

Adoption of Improved Technologies

Thanks to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture through the Agricultural Extension Agent assigned to the community, Nana Sarpong has acquired improved technologies, which are beneficial to him and his business. These technologies include:

• The Hortor oven
• The IMO technology
• The use of automatic water nipples
• Biosecurity

Role of Farmer in the Community

Nana Sarpong is considered a unique farmer in his area. He is a role model, who is a source of motivation for the youth in his community. He offers various assistance to people many in the community regarding farming and related issues. He belongs to several associations including

• Juaben Oil Palm Cooperative Society
• Ashanti Region Fish Farmers Association
• Ghana Chamber Commerce
• Ejisu-Juaben Pig Farmers Association.

 He has three awards to his credit which include:

• District Best farmer in 2014
• Ashanti Regional Best Oil Palm Farmer in 2015
• 1^st Runner Up to the Ashanti Regional Best Farmer in 2016

 As his cooperate social responsibility, Nana Sarpong has provided the following in her farming communities

• Completed the Juaben Hospital Children’s ward
• Donated 2 boreholes to the Bomfa community
• Donated 20 bags of cement and 2 trips of sand to the local SDA church

General Impression

Siribore Farms Ltd is a well-maintained farm and is noted for its philanthropic nature in the community. Though quite young Nana Sarpong has accomplished so much in his contribution to the provision of food and raw materials for agricultural industry. He has shown that farming is not for drop outs considering his academic background (MBA) he holds. He employs good tactics to sell his produce such as advertising on social media and engaging in contract farming. He also time production periods of his crops carefully so that it coincides with the scarcity period. His love for the farming business coupled with his commitment to succeed in this chosen field is exemplary.  He therefore deserves commendation.