Regional News of Sunday, 6 December 2015
Source: GNA
Mr Sansan Wiitey, a 69- year- old farmer, has won the 2015 Wa West District Best Farmer.
Mr Sansan, who has no formal education, is a native of Wechiau Bor a farming community in the district and is married with five wives and 50 dependents.
He is also a former winner of Regional and District Best Cattle Farmer in 2007 and 2009.
Mr Sansan has cultivated 194 acres of land comprising 60 acres of maize, 80 acres of sorghum, 15 acres of groundnut, and 10 acres of yam.
He keeps 1,199 livestock including 360 cattle, 400 fowls, 200 Guinea fowls, 78 goats, 36 sheep, 25 pigs, 35 turkeys, 20 ducks, 40 pets and two pair of bullocks.
For his achievement, Mr Sansan was given a certificate, a tricycle, two pairs of wellington boots, four cutlasses and two bars of key soap.
The theme for this year’s celebration was: “Transform Ghana: Invest in Agriculture”.
Mr Maalu Dominic, the District Agricultural Director, called on the government to rehabilitate roads and provide storage facilities to farmers.
He said the delay in the release of funds by government, inadequate extension staff and means of transport were hampering effective agriculture supervision in the District.
Mr Dasaana N.S Amadu, Wa West District Chief Executive, said the assembly has assisted 299 farmers to cultivate a total of 136.6 acres lowland rice through the Rice Sector Support Project (RSSP).
He said the assembly has also partnered with the Ghana Social Opportunity Project to rehabilitate three community dams to engage the youth in dry season farming.
The DCE warned farmers against bad farming practices such as felling of trees and the use of unauthorized chemicals for farming.