Akim-Adonkwanta (E/R), Dec. 03, GNA- The East Akim District Chief Executive, Mr Emmanuel Victor Asihene, had observed that despite the high financial intervention schemes that the government had made available to support farmers, it was not possible for all farmers to benefit from the assistance. He, therefore, appealed to farmers who benefited from such schemes to pay back their loans so that others could also benefit.

Mr. Asihene was speaking at the 21st National Farmers Day celebration of the district at Akim Adonkwanta on Friday. He mentioned some of the financial assistance to farmers in the district such as 238 million cedis for the construction of cribs for post-harvest management of maize, a 40-million-cedi facility for promoting the rearing of grasscutters and another 45-million-cedi facility for the promotion of beekeeping. The District Director of Agriculture, Dr. Joseph Bogee, said if credit facilities were made available to women farmers, the HIV/AIDS infections in the farming communities could be reduced to appreciable levels. He called for massive financial support to the youth to attract them into agriculture and the training of others in non-traditional commodities like grasscutter rearing, beekeeping, mushroom cultivation and snail rearing.

Mr Emmanuel Tetteh Akomeah, 55, of Tabia won over-all Best Farmer award for the district while Madam Comfort Laryea won the best plantain and the best cocoa farmer awards for the district. Ms Monica Tete of Sokodie Juaso won the award for the best woman farmer, a nurse of the New Tafo Government Hosiptal, Ms Judith Sekoh won the award for the best backyard farmer and an 18-year old student of Ofori Panin Secondary School(OPASS) won the best youth farmer for rearing over 162 rabbits and training other youth in the rearing of rabbits. OPASS also won the award for the best agricultural school for cultivation of pepper, maize, citrus and oil palm. In recognition of the efforts of OPASS, Mr Assihene, on behalf of the East Akim District Assembly donated five million cedis to the school to support their farming efforts.