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AGRICULTURE

SAGNERIGU: Grow more to feed the nation - DCE urges gallant farmers

The District Chief Executive for Sagnarigu in the Northern Region, Hon Iddrisu Mariam has urged farmers in the district to grow more to feed the nation.

Date Created : 12/7/2017 2:43:35 AM : Story Author : Hamza Lansah Lolly /savannanews24.com

According to her, there can never be a strong economy and great nation without the farmer, adding that, farmers are the key to economic growth and industrialization of the country.

The DCE noted that, farmers are the backbone of every society and the role farmers play in economic development can never be over emphasized.

The Sagnarigu DCE who was speaking at the 33rd National Farmers Day celebration held at Gbirima in the district urged farmers to continue their hard work for the benefit of the society.

This year’s farmer days celebrations was under theme: “Planting for Food and Jobs”.

Hon Mariam said, NPP government in recognizing the importance of farmers has created a lot of avenues for farmers produce more to feed the nation and also improve their likelihoods.

She said, farmers today are in high spirits because of the various intervention that are coming their way, saying that, the desire to go into farming by the youth is very encouraging.

Hon Mariam said, Planting for Food and Jobs program initiated by the NPP government is to increase production and improve the lot of farmers.

She said government in his quest to make planting food and jobs programme reality has subsidize fertilizers and farming inputs for about 557 farmers within the district.

She explained that farmers are only ask to pay 25 percent of the subsidize amount of 50 percent before harvesting and pay the remaining 25 percent after harvesting.

The DCE therefore urged farmers to pay the remaining 25 percent to enable the programme succeed. “Our farmer need to put more efforts to ensure their payment of remaining balance for the assembly to help more farmers to also benefit and the sustainability of the programme which will create employment and relief to you as farmers”, She said.

Hon. Mariam Iddrisu said the Nana Addo government is committed in ensuring employment for Ghanaians through the agricultural sector.

She said the theme for the celebration seeks to highlight the major flagship programmes of government in the agriculture sector including the planting for food and jobs, one village one dam, one district one factory, “These programmes are all geared towards creation of employment opportunities and food production in the country.

The DCE also attributed the increase in food crop production this year to government interventions and technology. “Increase in food crop production has been made possible due to the various kinds of interventions and technologies made available by government and other agencies as part share policies of government of the day, these interventions including improve seeds, agro-chemicals, organic fertilizers and good land management policies”

Hon. Mariam Iddrisu also touched on government effort to tackle sanitation situation in the district and tehrefore bemoaned the performance of her district in the latest district league table on sanitation.

The celebration brought together chiefs and elders as well people of various communities and the Ghana Aids Commission its celebration of the world AIDS day.

Mohammed Abdul Majeed a 50 year old farmer from Gbirima won the over best farmer in the district, he received a certificate, Tricycle, 2 cutlasses, a pair of Wellington Boots, 1 snapsack Sprayer, 2 bags of compound fertilizer, 2 bags of Compost, 1 maize thresher, 1 piece of cloth and 1 radio set.

Other distinguished farmers from various categories in the Agric sector also received some farming inputs from the assembly.

This year’s overall best farmer in the Sagnarigu District, Mohammed Abdul Majeed thanked the government for initiating various programmes in the Agric sector especially the Planting for Food and Jobs programme.