ADB present houses to National Best Farmers

The Agricultural Development Bank (adb) has presented two three-bedroom houses to the winners of the 2012 and the 2013 Best National Farmers Awards.

They are Mr Lemuel Martey, 2012 Farmer of the Year, whose house is located at Kpone, and Alhaji Karim Awudu, 2013 National Best Farmer, whose house is also located at East Legon Hills, Katamanso.

Speaking at the presentation on Thursday, Mr Stephen Kpordzih, Managing Director, adb, said the two property, which cost a total of $200,000 were built on lands belonging to the awardees.

He said since the inception of the National Best Farmer Awards Programme 30 years ago, adb had so far presented 13 three-bedroom houses as the first prizes for the Overall National Best Farmers, from 2001.

“adb also has been sponsoring the organisation of the National Farmers’ Forum and a welcome cocktail as part of the celebration,” he said.

He intimated that adb regarded the sponsorship of the National Best Farmer celebration and its Award scheme as a Corporate Social Responsibility to enhance the welfare of farmers and fishermen all over the country.

He, however, appealed to the Ministry of Agriculture to facilitate early discussions with award winners to avoid any delay in the timely presentations of their wards as adb had set the target of presenting the winner’s prize before the organisation of the next National Farmer’s Day.

He congratulated the two winners and urged them to continue to support the economy of Ghana through their hard work.

Mr Fiifi Kwetey, Minister of Food and Agriculture, expressed the Government’s appreciation to adb for their consistency in supporting the organisation of the National Farmers’ Day and called on other corporate entities to also donate towards the programme slated for 5th December 2014, at Sefwi Wiawso in the Western Region.

“I believe the continuous support from adb would send strong signal to the current contestants for the 2014 awards and beyond to be more serious and be hardworking to merit the award in the future,” he stated.

Mr Lemuel Martey, 2012 National Best Farmer, who spoke on behalf the recipients, appealed to the Government to endeavour to train farmers on how to ensure food security, and also pay particular attention to small scale farmers as the bulk of farmers in the country were into subsistent farming.

“I will also appeal to Government to put in place some policy, which would ensure that estate developers do not take control of land, which could have been used for farming”, he pleaded.