Nasam Majeed, 40, has emerged the district best farmer for this year’s farmers’ day celebration in the Nanumba South District of the Northern Region. The event took place at Bandiyili in the Nanumba south district. Nasam Majeed is from Kamboo, a farming community in the district. Addressing the 32nd anniversary of the farmers’ day celebration, the District Chief Executive, Hon. Amidu Seidu, told the farmers to see farming as a business and not a way of life. He related it to the theme for this year’s celebration, “Agriculture; A business Response to Economic Growth’’.
The DCE not that, greater attention must be given to the sector as its accounts for a greater percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and provides employment for over 44% of the country’s workforce, and 68% of the workforce in the Nanumba South district. “The theme underscores the need for effective commercial agriculture as a critical factor for the country’s development agenda, and a strong need for investment to create business opportunities in the agricultural sector’’ he noted He said it is a call for a shift from subsistence farming, to large scale or commercial agricultural production, to the adoption of modern farming methods and equipment, with application of appropriate technologies. -
Hon. Amidu Seidu mentioned that, government has long appreciated the need for the shift, and has resolved to prioritize agriculture by investing more in the sector through the provision of improved seeds, fertilizers, agro-chemicals, supply of machinery and equipments to assist farmers. He acknowledged the intervention of its development partners like SEND – Ghana, an NGO in ensuring food security in the district, under its FOSTERING project, as part of which 32 community extension volunteers were recruited and trained to serve as extension officers, as well as a plan to construct a warehouse in the district for the storage of farm produce. On the upcoming elections and the campaigns going on, the DCE called for issue-based campaigning and urged politicians and their supporters to desist from personal attacks and avoid intemperate and offensive utterances, that have the potential to raise tempers. The Director, livelihood and food security development of SEND –Ghana, Wekam Raymond Avatim, said the FOSTERING project and SEND –Ghana through a research report identified that Nanumba South District has funding challenges between 2010 and 2014, resulting in shortfall for agricultural activities. He said in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014, the district received 75.8%, 78.83%. 45.31% and 42.7% respectively, of its budgeted amount for agricultural activities. -
He also noted that, with services provided by the district, fewer women had access to them, compared to male farmers. He said the FOSTERING project has an ultimate objective to increase SUSTAINABLE GENDER EQUITABLE FOOD SECURITY among women and men, and has called on the district assembly to make services more equitable to men and women. He also appealed to the district agric department to adopt the community volunteer agriculture extension agents, and give them more training. He urged the district assembly to ensure a timely release of funds for agricultural purposes. The winner of the district best farmer took home a brown new motorbike, two cutlasses, wellington boots, knapsack spray, and bar of key soap as his prize. -
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