The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Mampong in the Ashanti Region, Thomas Appiah Kubi has called on the youth and people of the municipality to seriously consider farming as a viable alternative to seeking unavailable jobs. He said it is more worthwhile for the youth to go into farming than wasting their precious time in search for unavailable jobs to no avail.
The MCE further stated that farming today has become a serious business where all caliber of individuals and groups are engaged into and getting more good returns from that. “I am myself a farmer and have not regretted going into that”, he disclosed.
Mr. Thomas Appiah Kubi gave the advice when he addressed farmers during the 39th Farmers’ Day celebration of the Mampong Municipal Assembly held on Friday 1st December, 2023 at Kyekyewere, a major farming community near Apaah in the Mampong Municipality of the Ashanti region. The colorful event was organized by the Department of Agriculture in collaboration with the Mampong Municipal Assembly.
The MCE for Mampong pointed out that a number of government interventions has been and continue to be rolled out in the country and Mampong in particular all geared towards boasting agriculture and increase farm yields and reduce post-harvest loses along the value chain. He, therefore, urged farmers to continue to take advantage of these interventions and patronize them.
Speaking on the significance of the Farmers’ Day, Mr. Appiah Kubi stated series of harsh conditions and laborious processes farmers and fishermen go through in order to provide food and fish to feed the nation and contributing enormously to provide raw materials to feed local industries as well as helping the country to get needed foreign exchange, adding that it is very necessary to celebrate these diligent and industrious farmers during such annual occasion for their immense contribution to the growth of the economy.
On his part, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area, Kwaku Ampratwum Sarpong, whose address was read for him, praised farmers in the Mampong Constituency for their commitment, dedication and sacrifice to ensure food production and processing to enable the country and the municipality have sufficient food at all times. The MP who is also the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration assured that he would continue to give farmers the needed support as he has been doing over the years to give them the impetus to continue to carry on with their farming business.
The overall 2023 Municipal Best Farmer for Mampong went to Kyeiwaa Farms. The award was received by the founder and owner of the Kyeiwaa Farms, Nana Akwasi Owusu Manu.
Kyeiwaa Farms has a number of farms located across many areas in the municipality including Mampong, Krobo, Congo, Bunuso, Kyiremfaso, Hiamankyene, Abountem, Nkwanta and Kubesenase where several crops and animals are produced. Among them included 80 acres of Oil Palm plantation, 2 acres of Cocoa, 10 acres of Orange, 6 acres of Cashew, 2 acres of Mango and 1 acre of Pawpaw. Other farms were 12 acres of Cassava, 1 acre of Cocoyam, 1 acre of Yam, 89 acres of Maize, 20 acres of Cowpea, as well as 5 acres of Rice, 5 acres of Carrots, 2 acres of Onion and 11 acres of Plantain. In terms of animals, Kyeiwaa Farms has to his credit 500 Poultry Layers, 5 Ducks, 25 Pigs, 12 Rabbits, 25 Cows and 35 Goats.
In his remarks after receiving the award as the 2023 Municipal Best Farmer for Mampong, Nana Akwasi Owusu Manu, urged the youth in the Mampong Municipality to go into farming, saying farming is more profitable. The 73 year old man, who is the owner of Kyeiwaa Farms said, farming is a lucrative and reliable enterprise, which many people unfortunately have not taken keen interest in. He also stated that farming can bring a sustainable income if well ventured into with good planning and execution as well as effective and efficient management. He, therefore, advised the people especially the youth in Mampong municipality to take keen interest in farming to guarantee not only a sustainable income but also a well fulfilled lifestyle. Nana Owusu Manu further disclosed that farming is a long lasting job, a treasure that can be bequeathed to children and children yet unborn as legacy, saying that a farm if well maintained can grow and grow to become an ‘empire’ that can cater for the needs of the owner and even all his dependents.
The 2023 Municipal Best Farmer received as his prize One(1) Tricycle, one (1)Knapsack Spraying Machine, Wellington Boot 2 pairs, One (1) Big Torchlight, 2 full piece of Cloth, 1 Radio and Assorted Weedicides among other things as well as a cash of GH¢5000.00 donated by the Member of Parliament for Mampong, Hon. Kwaku Ampratwum Sarpong.
The municipal best farmer, who has involved some of his children in his enterprises said Kyeiwaa Farms would be motivated by the recognition of their contribution to the sustenance of the local economy and promised to continue to do more in the coming years. Nana Owusu Manu and his children have other farming related enterprises chiefly among them is Kyeiwaa Agro-Chemicals, which is into the sale of all kinds of Agro-Chemicals.
Kyeiwaa Farms employ 15 permanent staff with 42 casual workers in addition to sponsoring many students especially those pursuing agric related courses to help boast agriculture in the country and Mampong in particular.
Regrettably, the 2023 overall Municipal Best Farmer, Nana Akwasi Owusu Manu pass on to glory the following day after short illness.
20 other deserving farmers, who have distinguished themselves in various farming businesses, were given various awards in appreciation for their immense contribution and commitment to ensure food security in the country. Interestingly, St. Joseph SHS, Mampong received the Municipal Best Institution for teaching students Cat Fish Farming and rearing same in the school
In an address read on his behalf, the Municipal Agric Director, Mr. Osei Tutu disclosed that the theme for the celebration, “Delivering Smart Solutions for Sustainable Food Security and Resilience”, had a lot to offer the country in terms of food sustainability, availability and value addition. He said in consonance with the theme, the Department of Agriculture has therefore focused its programmes and activities geared towards achieving food security and sustainability, adding that, Agriculture in Ghana and for that matter Mampong Municipal has fully embraced the concept of agriculture as a business and has accorded it all the necessary attention that their enterprises deserved. The Municipal Agric Director further said for the theme to become a reality, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and for that matter the Department of Agriculture has therefore outlined a number of programmes to ensure the success of the theme for this year’s famers’ day celebration and the year ahead. These programmes he said included, improved general extension services, forming, consolidating and training Farmer- Based Organizations (FBOs) across the municipality on adoptive measures to add value to food, and identifying, registering and training of potential livestock farmers with a target capacity. Other programmes were identifying the linkages between the value chain actors as well as distribution of Fall Army Worm chemicals for free and intensive training for farmers and Agric Extension Agents (AEAs) in the area of food sustainability.
Mr. Osei Tutu said the government has rolled out its flagship programme Planting for Food and Job Phase II (PFJ II) with Five (5) main modalities namely Food Crops, Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD), Greenhouse Technology Villages, Rearing for Food and Jobs (RFJ), and Agricultural Mechanization Services (AMSECs) and was hopeful that the programme would be fully operational in 2024 and urged farmers to fully patronize it. The Municipal Agric Director, while congratulating farmers for working hard to ensure food security in the municipality and the country at large and, reminded them that the menace of Fall Army Worm was not yet over and so they must prepare ahead and contact the Agric Department whenever the need arose. Mr. Osei Tutu further urged all stakeholders in the municipality to support the Agric sector to move Ghana and Mampong Municipality ahead by making Agriculture smarter, more productive and increasingly efficient.
Nana Owusu Nkwantabisa II, Kyekyewerehene, who represented Daasebre Dr. Osei Bonsu II, Mamponghene as Chairman for the occasion, said the elderly has set and chart the path for the youth to follow as far as farming and agricultural business is concerned and urged them to take grave interest in farming. He disclosed that Nananom is ready to support the youth interested in farming with lands to do their farming.
Present at the event included the Municipal Coordinating Director (MCD), Mr. Mohammed Mumuni, the Presiding Member (PM), Godwin Anto, the Municipal Works Engineer, Mr. Djabatey John Gamah, Municipal Finance Officer, Mr. Jones Abu Kyere, and the Urban Roads Engineer, Mr. Daniel Ansah. Others were the Head of Revenue, Mr. Emmanuel Agyekum, Mampong Constituency Chairman of the NPP, Mr. Luther Asare, and the Deputy Municipal Fire Commander, GNFS, ADO II Mr. Frank Ampong. The rest included RTI Officer, Mr. Aziz Anning, the NCCE Programmes Officer, Mr. Francis Mensah, and the Municipal Internal Auditor, Mr. Ibrahim Abubakar, Nananom, the clergy and assembly members, security personnel, the media, and other heads of department and previous award winners.
