04-12-09 REGIONAL FARMERS DAY ENDS IN NAVRONGO
The Cos Park was the venue for this year’s 25th Regional and District best farmers day celebration held at took Navrongo in the Kassena-Nankana District of the Upper East Region with a call on farmers to adapt to new ways of farming through the application of science and technology. The Regional Director of Agric, Alhaji Abdul Razak Zibrim, who made the call, commended all gallant and hardworking farmers in the country for their contribution to food security and economic transformation of the region and the country as a whole. He reminded farmers and the general public against bush fires since harvesting is still in progress. Mr Zibrim stressed the need for collective efforts to ensure the control of bush fires. Addressing participants, the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Mark Woyongo, expressed government’s commitment to making agriculture the number one priority in the country to help address the daunting challenges facing agriculture. This, according to Mr. Woyongo, is evident in the subsidization of fertilizers, provision of tractors and combines harvesters, the rehabilitation of some dams to support irrigation as well as the provision of other farm inputs to farmers in the region. He pledged government’s support to tomato and rice farmers in the region. During the presentation of awards, the Regional Best Farmer went to Mr. Batabunga Zaato, from the Kassena-Nankana East District. For his prize, Mr Zaato Received 1 Corn Mill, a Sewing Machine, a wellington boot, spraying machine, a radio cassette recorder, 6 matchets and a half piece wax print. Mr. Stephen Anyeka from the Builsa District emerged as the Overall Regional Fisherman and took home a 21 inch Colour TV, 6 Matchets , a Radio cassette recorder , a wax print and a deep freezer. In all, 17 farmers within the nine districts in the region received various awards for their meritorious work and dedication to the development of agriculture.