The Ho West District Assembly on Friday 1st December, 2023 celebrated the 39th Farmers Day Celebration at Dzolokpuita E.P Primary School Park. This year’s event was on the theme ” Delivering Smart solutions for Sustainable Food Security and Resilience “.
The occasion served as a platform to recognize and appreciate farmers’ efforts while emphasizing the need for collective action to leverage smart solutions to overcome the challenges faced by the agricultural sector.
Awards were presented to Farmers in various categories, including Best Crop Farmer, Best Youth Farmer, Best Livestock Farmer, Best Female Farmer, Best Physically Challenged Farmer, Best Tree Crop Farmer, Best Innovative Farmer and Best Agric Officer. The winners received prizes such as cylinders, fridges, Knapsack Sprayers, Wellington Boots, Cutlass, Mesh, Certificates etc. The overall winner went to Kpedze Todze CCMI Rehabilitation Site whilst Mr Munkaila Sukuna was adjudged the second best farmer. They took Tricycle, Motorbike and other farm inputs.
The District Chief Executive, Hon Ernest Victor Apau in his address saluted the hard working farmers for their contribution to the growth and development of Agriculture in the country.
He said farming is becoming one of the leading activity in the district and therefore encouraged the youth to embrace farming as a means to enhance their livelihoods. He also appealed to land owners not to hesitate to release their lands to those who are ready to engage in farming in the district.
The Honourable DCE mentioned some achievements chalked, including the implementation of total of 56ha Tree Crop Plantation in selected communities under the Ghana Productive Safety Net Project (GPSNP), the implementation of DCE’s special initiative to support Government Flagship Program (i.e., one-Paramountcy One-Farm, One-Household, One-Fruit, Planting to Save Water Bodies, Livestock and Poultry Breed improvement Program), establishment of Oil Palm Processing Factory at Honuta, Maize Processing Factory at Abutia Kpota, Distribution of Tree Crop seedlings (Citrus, Coconut, Oil Palm, Pawpaw, Mango and Cashew seedlings to individuals/Farmers as well as Opening and reshaping of farm roads in selected communities among others.
He said these developments stand as a testament to the district’s commitment to fostering agricultural growth and enhancing processing capabilities, thereby contributing to the economic prosperity and sustainability of the district. He also urged the farmers to adopt innovative solutions, technology integration and sustainable practices to ensure a secure and prosperous food future for the nation.
The Agric Officer, Mr. Arafat Abdul Rahim who read the speech on behalf of the District Director of Agriculture commended the gallant farmers for their invaluable contributions towards our nation. He said as part of boosting the Agriculture sector in the district, the department through the support of the Assembly and the MLGDRD has established a Nursery in Dzolokpuita to support the implementation of PERD programme. Through this, 5,000 Cashew, 10,000 Coconut, 2,000 Citrus, 5,000 Oil Palm, 3,000 Pawpaw and 1,500 Xylopia seedlings have been produced. This initiative, he said is to ensure a sustainable source of high- quality Planting materials that will contribute to the biodiversity and resilience of our agricultural landscape.
Mr. Abdul Rahim stated that in pursuit of climate-smart Agriculture, seven (7) crop demonstration projects in sixteen operational areas of the district have been undertaken, showcasing innovative and sustainable farming practices that enhance productivity and mitigate the impact of climate change on crops. He added that five (5) selected women groups were empowered through training in income generating agro-based processing activities and the establishment of village savings and loans Association to promote local economic development.
He further addressed some challenges being faced in the district including lack of mechanisation centers hindering the promotion of mechanised farming, inadequate storage facilities that contribute to post harvest losses and the absence of irrigation facilities that limit the engagement in off season farming. He called on stakeholders to address these challenges collectively in order to build a resilient and sustainable agricultural sector in Ho West.
The World AIDS Day was also celebrated on the theme ” Let Communities Lead”
The Disease Control Officer, Mavis Agbavitor sensitized the public on HIV/AIDS related issues/prevention. The message conveyed were adherence to COVID-19 Safety Protocols, significance of regular testing, promoting awareness and embracing preventive measures to combat the rising prevalence of HIV/AIDS infections in the district and the country at large.
Farmers displayed varieties of farm produce including plantain, palm nuts, oil palm, Yam and other agro chemical products.
Source: ISD, Ho West District
