A-21 YEAR old nursing mother, Bless Fenuku has been awarded the Best Crops Farmer of the year, 2022 in the Ayawaso East Municipal Farmers’ Day Celebration in Accra.
Ms. Fenuku who resides at the 37 Military Barrack, completed her Senior High School Education in 2020, and she has been cultivating crops such as okra, yam, maize, cassava, plantain, and cocpyam respectively on half acre land for close to two (2) years to supplement her family income.
In recognition of her contribution to agriculture as a young woman in the area, the Municipal Department of Agriculture deemed it necessary to honour her with the award 2022.
Moro Tongo Awuni from Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, was awarded this year’s Ayawaso East Municipal’s Overall Best Farmer, 2022. Mr. Tongo Awuni, 49, has cultivated about 10 acres of maize, 5 acres of watermelon intercepted with cowpeas, groundnut and vegetables.
Mr. Tongo Awuni, An Assemblyman of 37 Military Hospital Electoral Area, and a Ward Assistant at the Hospital has been farming in the Military Barracks for 5 years; he was noted for his envious of fallow lands which he would not hesitate to turn into a farm, despite the size of a space lying idle.
He raises livestock in addition; he has about 25 turkeys, 50 cockerel, 100 layers, 2 ostriches, 3 goats, 2 sheep and 2 cows respectively, and this ean him the overall best farmer. The Hon. Assembly member, a Technical Institute graduate employed about 4 persons.
He was awarded with a chest freezer, 14 inches flat screen television set, 2 crocodile machetes, a pair of Wellington boots, 4 bags of compound fertilizer, assorted drinks, a knap sack sprayer and a Certificate.
Ms. Fenuku also received a chest freezer, 2 crocodile machetes, a pair of Wellington boots, 3 bags of compound fertilizer, assorted drinks, a knap sack sprayer and a Certificate.
The Municipal Best Livestock Farmer went to Baba Awudu alias Babs, an HND holder in Procurement and Supply Science. The 48 year old Babs also took home similar items. He received a chest freezer, 2 crocodile machetes, 2 pair of Wellington boots, assorted drinks and a Certificate.
The Ayawaso East Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Hajia Selma Mohammed Adams Sani-Kuta charged the youth in the Municipality to venture into farming, especially the young ladies/women should emulate Bless Fenuku to also supplement their family incomes.
She added that if someone is engaged in any form of farming related activities that person must be encouraged.
The MCE disclosed that the Municipal Agricultural Department has been organising training programmes on new technologies of how to make use of small spaces within the communities for farming activities such as mushroom farming and processing, rabbit production and fish farming which the agriculture department intends to introduce in 2023 farmers’ Day.
Hajia Selma Sani-Kuta entreated the farmers not to allow limitations they face to discourage them in the Municipality prior to the production of food, but should be strengthened by the theme for this 38th Farmers’ Day Celebration, which was “Accelerating Agriculture Development Through Value Addition”.
She implored the farmers in the Municipality to rather convert their weaknesses into strength by using the available technology at their disposal to change the raw food produce into finished products.
She also urged all those who want to engage in small scale farming to contact the agriculture department of the Assembly for free advice and guidance.
Hajia Selma Sani-Kuta mentioned some activities the department undertook ie. conduction of home and farm visit to share farming technology with farmers; provided a farmer group with mushroom, compost bags and supervised the production of mushrooms amongst others.
Source: Nationaltymes.com
