Building Contractor Wins Volta Regional Best Farmer

Ho, Dec. 1, GNA - Mrs Victoria Doamekpor, 53, a building contractor and a farmer from Mafi-Zongo in the North Tongu District, beat 20 men and two other women to win the 2006 Overall Volta Regional Best Farmer Award at a ceremony to mark this year's Farmers' Day held at Tanyigbe, near Ho.

Mrs Doamekpor dedicated her award, which included a corn mill a sewing machine, a sprayer, a half piece of cloth, a Wellington boot, cutlasses, insecticides, bars of key soap and a certificate to women in the country and called on women to consider going into agriculture. "Let's all try agriculture too. It is interesting, more yielding than trading," she said.

Mrs Doamekpor said though she had many shops all over the country, she combined trading with farming yielded so much since there were crops she could plant all year round.

She said her target was on the national award and promised not to give up the challenge but put in more effort to win the national award for women in the country.

A total of 45 other people from the Region were presented with different kinds of awards having distinguished themselves in various categories of farming including Mr Malik Zor from Abutia-Kissiflui, who was adjudged the overall Ho Municipal Best Farmer.

He took home a knapsack; a bicycle; a radio; cutlasses; Wellington boot; insecticides, bars of key soap, half piece of cloth, a clock, a "T" shirt and a certificate.

Mr Julius Ametefe, Volta Regional Director of the Ministry Of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), in an address stated that the Region made modest gains in food and livestock production in 2006.

He said under the major food staples, land area put under cultivation increased despite the low nature of the yield per unit area. He stated that, notwithstanding, the outbreak of armyworms on 505 hectares of farmlands, crop performance for the year had been satisfactory.

Mr Ametefe said the overall outlook for 20006/2007 cereals, root crops and vegetables remained favourable for the Region though the final outcomes depended on the weather conditions for the next few months. He said his only regret was the inability of the youth to develop positive attitude towards agriculture to enhance their livelihood. Mr Ametefe said the continual dependence on the country's aged for food security was suicidal looking at the vital role agriculture played in the economic growth of the nation.

He observed that the youth shun agriculture because of lack of awareness of the scope of opportunities in the sector and called for their education to entice them into agriculture to reduce the growing unemployment in the country.

Mr Kofi Dzamesi, Volta Regional Minister, said the country's demographic characteristics engaged in agriculture needed to be changed for the fulfilment of President John Agyekum Kufuor's vision of the country becoming a leading agro-industrial country in Africa by the year 2010.

He said the change could only come about with the involvement of all including traditional and religious leaders and the youths, who should be prepared to make use of opportunities being offered by the Government.

Mr Dzamesi congratulated all award winners and advised them not to be complacent with the awards but rather be motivated to work harder to achieve more laurels.

Mr Mawutor Goh, Ho Municipal Chief Executive, earlier in a welcoming address reminded the gathering of the day being the World HIV/AIDS Day as well and urged them keep away from the disease and join the fight against its eradication in the country. 1 Dec. 06