Mr James Gunu, Akatsi-North District Chief Executive (DCE) has proposed an essentially agricultural sector funding Rural Bank, to tackle the very low access of farmers to credit in the area.

He said in the bank could be called Ave-Rural Bank and its capitalisation should be the challenge of citizens at home and abroad.

Mr Gunu was speaking at a durbar at Ave-Afiadenyigba to mark the 30th Farmers Day, during which 23 individuals and institutions were awarded.

The DCE said the Assembly is poised to support any such move, which would give “our farmers access to soft loans and other credits”.

The theme for this year’s Farmers Day is: “Eat What You Grow.”

Mr Gunu said though the micro-finance sector, has offered farmers some credit, that access “remains limited in its scale and scope” hence the need for a more agro-sector-focused scheme, with well-targeted financial products.

“We ought to make the sector attractive through the provision of credit and machinery in order to encourage our youth to venture into agriculture,” the DCE stated.

He cited activities of marauding Fulani Herdsmen, low synergy among sub-sectors of agriculture, land acquisition and tenure issues, inadequate storage and marketing facilities, low value addition, lack of irrigated stretches and poor roads as some challenges faced by the agricultural sector in the district.

Mr Gunu said interventions by the district to tackle these problems included the award of contracts for the rehabilitation of some vital farming area roads.

Mr Anthony Akor, District Director of Agriculture said farmers in groups would be easier to reach by technical officers rather than as individual farmers.

He said the receding forest belt is probably cause for the current erratic rainfall, which has resulted in projected low minor season 2004 maize yield in the area.

Alhaji Salihu Iddrisu, Assembly Member of Ave-Afiadenyigba in a welcome address said, a big boost to agriculture, already thriving in the area, would be the establishment of an agricultural training school at Ave-Afiadenygba.

David Nyamekor Adorku, 39, was adjudged the Overall District Best Farmer.

Mr Adorku, a native of Xevi had one motorbike in addition to one knapsack sprayer, two wellington boots, four cutlasses, six pairs of hand gloves, one watering can and a certificate of recognition.

Five women were among the awardees, Seratu Eliasu, groundnut, Akosua Kofigah, Agro-Food Processing, Bertha Gborgla, sweet potato, Baby Fianyo, Cassava and Mama Adama II, Best Aged Female Farmer.

The District office of Agriculture, which had no official vehicle, was given a motorbike.