Nation's best farmers visit Legon

Accra, Legon, Nov. 29, GMA - Farmers have been asked to ensure that their produce are transported from the farm to the market in safe boxes or crates to maintain their fresh state and value. The Provost of the College of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences of the University of Ghana, Professor Benjamin K. Ahunu made the call in a speech delivered on Tuesday on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor Prof. C.N.B.

Tagoe at a ceremony organized by the Akuafo Hall of the University to honour this year's national best farmers who are to be awarded on Friday, December 1, 2006.

Professor Ahunu said the College is to implement a programme called Convergence of Sciences, which will involve farmers in the formulation of agricultural research agenda.

He asked farmers to take students on attachment during the long vacation to acquaint themselves with their operations. The sixty best farmers' selected from all the regions were honoured at the ceremony with kente stoles.

In an address, the Hall Master, Rev. Dr. Cephas Omenyo noted that Ghanaian farmers have played a major role in the establishment of this great premier University in Ghana and recalled that a bold step was taken by Dr. J.B. Danquah in spearheading the mobilization of Ghanaian farmers to sow the seed money to build the University.

He added that it was the time when the British Colonial authorities had decided to build only one University at Ibadan, in Nigeria to serve the whole of the then Anglophone West Africa.

Rev. Dr. Omenyo announced that the Akuafo Hall is to establish an endowment fund for needy but brilliant students, especially those from farming areas The Hall Master added that the hosting of national best farmers in Akuafo Hall of excellence would become an annual event