Master Evans Okyere, a 29 year old mixed crop farmer at Ramseyer, a community within Asokwa was last Friday crowned the Overall Best Municipal Farmer in Asokwa.
Cultivating crops such as cabbage on an 8acre land, an acre of cassava, half acre of plantain, 2, 973 suckers of pineapple, and a quarter acre each of cocoyam, tomatoes and garden egss, Master Okyere also rears 1500 of snails, 50 cockerels, 500 pieces of catfish and 8 goats.
In addition to these, Master Kyere has a half acre of ginger farm and produces his own brand of organic fertiliser for use and for sale to other farmers across Asokwa and other communities.
Announcing Master Okyere as the winner, Asokwa Municipal Agric Officer, Ernest Kwame Kusi urged the youth to see Agric as a useful venture and added that the winner apart from what he does also goes on radio every time to pass on his knowledge to other farmers.
Chief Executive Officer:
Speaking at the ceremony earlier, Chief Akwannuasah Gyimah, Asokwa Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) commended farmers in the country especially those from the Asokwa community for doing their best in producing to feed residents and others elsewhere.
He however urged them to embrace the use of high yielding seedlings and procedures introduced by the Ministry of Agric in their production so that they could reap bountiful returns.
The MCE also charged them to learn and accept the use of high technology and machinery into their farming activities.
“Modern times of Agric demand the use of high quality seedlings as well as technology and machinery so that farmers can get the benefit from their production and investments. I, therefore will urge farmers to be open to new way of doing things from now on”, the MCE stated.
Member of Parliament:
Madam Patricia Appiagyei, Member of Parliament (MP) for Asokwa commended the Asokwa Assembly staff for aiding farmers with the education and encouragement to continue food production especially vegetables in the Municipality.
She also urged the youth to see agric as an avenue where they could get employment and use their production to feed themselves and their families as well as sell surpluses for money.
“My outfit would continue to invest and support farmers in the Asokwa Municipality to do their best so that collectively we will enjoy the fruits from Agriculture which continue to be the backbone of the Ghanaian economy”, Madam Appiagyei promised.
Chairperson:
Nana Mensah Bonsu, Chief of Kaase and host community for the farmers day celebration thanked the Asokwa Municipal Assembly for working to support farmers in the communities in Asokwa.
“I would ask that more youth should be encouraged into agriculture so that they could find secure jobs rather than waiting for white collar jobs”, the Chief advised.
Best Farmer:
Taking home the ceremonial sword of office and a tricycle donated by the MP as well as other items such knapsack sprayer, cutlasses and a pumping machine from other sponsors, Evans Okyere thanked the Municipal Assembly for the support.
“I promise to use my new position to imbibe the knowledge and expertise I have acquired over the years into my colleague farmers so that together we can reap the benefits of using right agricultural information and procedures”, Master Kyere.
There were other category of awards for other farmers including best female farmer, best institutional farmer, best vegetable farmer with the best student in Agric award going to 18 year old Master Bernard Appiah, a student from Kumasi High School.
Story By Michael Ofosu-Afriyie,
Kumasi
