Mr. Chairman,
The Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, Nii Amasa Namoale,
The Municipal chief Executive of Adenta, Ms. Vanlare
The President of the National Farmers and Fishermen Award Winners Ass. of Ghana
Chairman, Cocoa, Coffee, Sheanut Farmers Ass.
The Board Members, MD, Management and Staff of ADB here present,
Directors of MOFA,
The 2009 National Best Farmer, Davies Korboe,
Members of the Press,
Distinguished Invited Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Of course, Dade Kotopon Cultural Troupe:
I wish to welcome you all and thank you for making time to come to the function at such a short notice.
Mr. Chairman, we are gathered here this morning to continue to celebrate our gallant farmers, fishers and agro processors by handing over this magnificent fully furnished three bed room house as the first prize to Mr. Davies Korboe, the 2009 National Best Farmer.
The Government of Ghana with the support of many companies and individuals have provided attractive prizes to reward the hardworking and deserving farmers and fishers each year for their contribution to food security, foreign exchange earnings and the total national development.
It is our hope that these prizes awarded at the District, Regional and National levels to farmers and fishermen each year will project agriculture and make it an attractive profession to all particularly the youth.
Mr. Chairman, the Ministry is committed to creating the enabling environment, by providing the necessary support to facilitate the modernization and commercialization of agriculture. It is in this respect that the Ministry is encouraging all to approach farming as a business venture.
The Ministry in this direction has been pursuing certain interventions and project notable among them are:
- Subsidization of fertilizer and agricultural machinery cost;
- Setting – up an agricultural fund to scale up credit support to farmers and processor;
- Expansion of irrigation facilities, especially small scale drip irrigation to ensure all – year round production;
- The block farming project under the Youth in Agriculture Programme (YIAP) intended to attract the youth and increase the production of maize, rice and soyabean in the country;
- The setting up of the National Buffer Stock Company (NAFCO) to hold strategic food stock for the country to ensure food security, provide ready and assured market for our farmers and also serve as a channel for promoting the consumption of local farm produce through state institutions. It is on record that in 2010 NAFCO contributed to the 10,000 metric tons of maize bought by the World Food Programme (WFP) to export to the Sahel Region.
- Establishment of Agricultural Mechanization Centres (AMSEC), to provide a one stop centre that provides tractor services to farmers at relatively cheap cost. So far there are 85 of these centres throughout the country. The plan is to have at least one service centre in each District to minimize if not eliminate the drudgery of the hoe and cutlass, slush and burn, peasant faring practices which affects productivity and discourages the youth.
Mr. Chairman, ADB has been the major provider of finance to the agriculture sector in Ghana, despite claims by sections of the Public that it is limited and difficult to access. We acknowledge ADB’s efforts in addressing these concerns and hope that it will roll out more friendly policies to help our gallant farmers and fishers.
Ladies and Gentlemen, the 2009 National Best Farmer is being rewarded with a 3 – bedroom house with necessary utilities and soft furnishing. One again the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) has played the pivotal role in making this a reality.
The level of generosity and national commitment of the ADB cannot go without appreciation and I wish to invite you all to join me in expressing profound gratitude to the Board, Management and Staff of the Bank for their support to our Farmers. It is my conviction that the collaboration between the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the ADB will continue for the benefit of the Agricultural Sector for many years.
Mr. Chairman, let me take this opportunity to also express my deep gratitude to all other companies and individuals whose support to the National Farmers’ Day philosophy which started from a very humbly beginning 26 years ago had brought us this far. Government is indeed honoured to have you all as partners in the quest to pursue the Better Ghana Agenda on the wings of a robust and vibrant agricultural sector.
May God bless our farmers, fishermen and partners of the agricultural sector of Ghana. Thank you all;
Ladies and Gentlemen, I wish to encourage the Youth to take inspiration from Mr. Davies Korboe’s achievement who at the age of 36 was adjudged the 2009 National Best Farmer.
His achievment affirms eloquently that agriculture is not for the elderly the less privilege or less educated, but for all youth the elderly the educated and is a business venture.
On this note, Mr. Chairman, on behalf of the President, His Excellency Mr. John Evans Atta Mills, I have the singular hounour to officially hand over this GH¢110,000.00, 3 – bedroom house to Mr. Davies Narh Korboe, hardworking farmer adjudged the 2009 National Best Farmer.
My God bless our Farmers, fishers, as well as Ghanaians at large.
Thank You.