Rampant destruction of farmlands by estate developers and sand winners in the Ga South Municipality has been a great concern to the Ga South Municipal Assembly.
Farmers in the Municipality have lost several tracts of farmlands with crops without compensation from the estate developers.
The Municipal Chief Executive for Ga South Municipality, Mr Joseph Stephen Nyarni, announced this at the 37th Farmers Day celebration on the theme: “Planting for Food and Jobs, Consolidating Food Systems in Ghana” at Kweku Panfo, in the Ga South Municipality.
The overall best farmer in the Municipality went to Mrs Rose Ashami Aryee, 47 from Danchira.
In all, seven farmers were awarded with items including mattresses, tricycles, television sets, agro chemicals, wellington boots, wheel barrows, cutlasses. Knapsack sprayers, deep freezers, rice and vegetable oils.
Mr Nyarni entreated the chiefs and elders at Domeabra and Obom to support the Assembly in its quest to halt the rise in the illegal sand winning which had the potential of eroding the investment the government had made in Agriculture.
He said the theme for the programme was appropriate, considering the huge investment the government, led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has made in agriculture.
He said, the Assembly would, in the coming years support the Department of Agriculture by setting up basic processing facilities to help add value to their farm produce as a way of promoting Local Economic Development.
Mr Nyarni said it was important for agricultural lands in the Municipality to be preserved.
The MCE entreated the residents in the Municipality to show interest in farming either as a full-time or part-time venture, to create jobs.
In her welcome address, Mrs Dorinda Akpene Agar, the Ga South Municipal Director of Agriculture, said the ceremony was to recognize, appreciate and honour farmers and fishers for their dedication and hard work.
She said, the Agriculture Department of the Assembly had plans to intensify livestock, vertical and container farming as well as fish farming and urged farmers to embrace the new technologies in the food system for domestic and export markets.
Mrs Agar said the Department would soon start a satellite market in the vicinity to curtail post-harvest losses and high cost of transportation.
FROM DANIEL AMOO, KWEKU PONFO
