Kwasi Sikayena wins overall best farmer of Juaboso District

Forty-two-year old Kwasi Sikayena has been adjudged the 2020 overall best farmer for the Juaboso District in the Western North Region.

He emerged the winner out of 24 farmers recognised for their hard at the 36th National Farmer Day at Nkatieso near Juaboso.

Mr. Skayena, has two acres of cassava, two acres of cocoyam, six acres each of plantain and oil palm, seven acres of cocoa, 175 local birds, 115 livestock, and other vegetable farms.

He took away a commercial knapsack sprayer, a motor tricycle popularly known as “Aboboyaa”, a certificate, and other items.

Madam Mary Buadu emerged as the Best Woman Farmer of the District, while Pastor Peter C.V Sonnezie won the Best Innovator and Mr Sulemana Agara got the best Agriculture Officer in the District.

Others won various categories such as best maize, cassava, cocoa, sheep, rice, tomatoes, livestock, and pig farmer awards.

Mrs Martha Kwayie Manu, the District Chief Executive said Ghana’s agriculture has shifted from small scale and primary production to farming-related commercial activities because the sector had created jobs, market expansion, and competition of goods and services.

She said for the past three years, agricultural activities in the district have increased to 90% as most of the products in the district were locally produced.

She said though the COVID-19 pandemic had endangered the agricultural sector, affecting both farmers and consumers, farmers in Juaboso were able to produce more for the market.

The DCE said the Nana Akufo-Addo led government had introduced a lot of interventions aimed at encouraging farmers to improve upon their lots.

Mr. Emmanuel Esiape, the District Agricultural Director thanked the government for distributing more farm inputs to the district to increase productivity.

He said 215 bags of maize seeds, 740 rice seeds, 1,600 bags of NPK fertilizers were been distributed to farmers under the Planting for Food and Jobs, while 31,000 oil palm seedlings have been distributed under Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD).

The District Best Famer, on behalf of the awardees, thanked the government and the assembly for their effort in improving agriculture in the district and urged the youth to take advantage of the government's pro-agriculture initiatives to create employment for themselves and others.