By Rita Avoka, GNA
Bolgatanga, Dec. 7, GNA - Mr Ayimbila Abubakar Atera, the Bolgatanga East district best farmer has called on Ghanaian youth to venture into farming as a business and not waste time waiting for white-collar jobs.
Mr Atera made the call after he received his award at the 35th National farmers Day celebration in Bolgatanga, on the theme, ‘Enhancing small scale Agriculture towards Agribusiness development’.
He was awarded a tricycle, radio, two bags of fertilizer, a pair of Wellington boots and a certificate of honour.
Mr Atera appealed to the Government to invest more in Agriculture to boost the sector and attract the youth who were waiting to be employed in offices.
He said farming was a lucrative venture that could minimise the rate of unemployment among the youth and urged his colleague farmers to endeavour to farm for both domestic and commercial purposes.
Mr Atera urged the media to highlight the positive sides of agriculture in their reports to draw the attention of the youth to the sector.
He lauded the Planting for Food and Jobs programme, and said subsidising farm inputs such as fertilizer contributed to a good harvest this year.
Mr Henry Ayamga, the District Director of agriculture, said farmers in Bolgatanga East district would encounter challenges in the storage of their farm yields this year due to the increase in production of the major staples such as maize, rice and groundnuts.
“The increase in yield this year is as a result of good rainfall and the intervention of government's planting for food and jobs (PFJs) initiative”.
Speaking on the criteria used to select the best farmers, he said their farming activities were closely monitored and assessed by Agric extension officers over the farming season and the selected farmers were screened based on their ability to adopt modern technology to improve practices that increased productivity.
Mr Ayamga expressed his appreciation to all organisations working towards advancing the welfare of farmers across the nation and further encouraged farmers not to relent in their hard work.
The farmers exhibited their products, maize, millet, sorghum, groundnuts and sweet potatoes among others.
In attendance were, the DCE for Bolgatanga East, District Officers of Agriculture, Heads of department, security agencies, political parties’ representatives, traditional rulers and many others.
GNA
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS