46-year-old caterer wins New Juaben South best farmer award

Mrs Vida Adeweh, a 46-year-old caterer, has emerged the overall best farmer in the New Juaben South Municipality at the 36th National Farmers day.

Mrs Adeweh has five acres of pawpaw, three acres of coconut, two acres of Mango, an acre of avocado, half-acre each of cocoyam, cassava, lettuce and green pepper, nine goats, 10 sheep and 36 local birds.

For her prize, she received a pair of Wellington boot, five cutlasses, three bottles of weedicides, a certificate, a tricycle, a knapsack spray, a medium portable radio, a half piece of GTP Adepa print and a butterfly sewing machine.

Mr Francis Amoatey, a 39-year-old person with a disability was adjudged the best Youth farmer while madam Beatrice Agyepong got the prize for the best vegetable seller and madam Mary Akwei also won the best fish processor.

Mr Isaac Apaw Gyasi, New Juaben South Municipal Chief Executive(MCE), said the number of farmers engaged on the Planting for Foods and Jobs ( PFJ) programme in the area increased to 2,356 compared to 1,298 in 2019.

The MCE said about 11,113 bags of fertilizer went to farmers in 2020 compared to 3,687 bags in 2019, an increase of 300 per cent.

Mr Kofi Amoako Tweneboah, Municipal Director of Agriculture, explained that the criteria for the award included the scale of operation, innovativeness, marketing strategy and general impression of the farm, among others.

He urged the farmers to adhere to the advice of the extension officers to improve yield.