Upper west farmers demand review of national farmers' day prizes

Wa, Aug 4, GNA - Farmers in the Upper West Region have appealed to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to consider reviewing the prizes given to farmers at the district level during the yearly national farmers' day.

In their view the prizes are not only paltry but also not motivating enough as a reward for their contribution to the growth of the country's agriculture.

They made the request when Mr Ernest Debrah, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, interacted with a cross section of farmers in the region at Wa on Thursday.

The minister is on a two-day working visit to the region. Prizes given to farmers at the district level usually consists of a bicycle, a half-piece of wax print, cutlasses, a bar of soap and a pair of Wellington boots.

Mr Ambrose Dery, the Upper west Regional Minister, expressed his support for the farmers and said the district level prizes were shameful and not motivating enough.

Mr Debrah told the regional staff of his ministry that the ministry had carried out mass transfer of the headquarters staff to the districts where their services are most urgently needed.

Some district officers have also been transferred to headquarters to take up positions.

Mr Debrah also interacted with members of the Seed Growers Association at Wa and inspected their stocks of certified seeds at their warehouse. He said as a result of the mass faking of certified seeds by some unscrupulous persons, his ministry had decided to provide the Registered Seed Growers Association with a hologram to differentiate their produce from the spurious ones.