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Business News for Sunday, November 8, 2020
Source: GNA
2020-11-08
Mrs Bertha Tsavanye, a 36-year-old woman, has been crowned the best overall farmer in the Agortime-Ziope district of the Volta region.
He grew a total of 17 acres of cereals, root tubers, and vegetables, including corn, cassava, tomatoes, okra, and bell pepper.
Bertha also has more than 130 sheep and goats, and about 120 guinea fowls and dozens of local chickens.
He was awarded a motorized tricycle, other agricultural tools and supplies, as well as a certificate of appreciation.
He thanked the government for the flagship programs in agriculture and also the district agricultural extension officers for their support.
Bertha has been farming for the past 10 years and lamented to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that access to capital remains a challenge for farmers in the area.
Certificates and awards including freezers, motorcycles and basic agricultural inputs were presented to 18 other farmers who excelled in the production of various crops and animals.
The winners included an agricultural extension officer, a disabled farmer and a group of women farmers.
The theme of the celebration was “Ensuring agricultural development under COVID-19: Opportunities and challenges.”
It was held in the remote farming community of Kporta and brought together farmers and other stakeholders from the agricultural sector.
An exhibition was mounted showing the rich agricultural products of the area.
Emmanuel Laryea, District Agricultural Extension Officer, said that despite the disruption of rainfall patterns, the government’s flagship agricultural initiatives helped protect yields.
He advised farmers to monitor weather patterns and consider converting many pirogues in the district into irrigation outlets.
Laryea said the impact of COVID-19 forced more farmers in the district to go into animal husbandry.
Mr. John Amenyah, District Executive Director (DCE), said that wildfires and illegal logging continue to challenge the progress of agriculture in the district.
Therefore, he called on the Forestry Commission to enforce the laws against the practices and prosecute the perpetrators without fear.
The DCE raised concerns about the district’s one percent HIV rate and recommended safe sexual practices.
Torgbui Akoshiehu IV, head of Kporta, advised farmers to view farming as a lucrative business.
He said that some farmers had started producing cocoa and asked the government to build a road from the community to the mainland.
Togbui Akoshiehu also called for a community health center.
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