A total of six companies yesterday presented cheques and agro products to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) towards the Farmers Day slated for December 2 this year.
The companies are Koudijs Ghana Limited, Nanam Ventures Limited and Ghana Incentive-Based Risk-Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (GIRSAL) Limited.
The rest are Ghana Export and Import Bank (EXIMBANK), Calli Ghana and Rainbow Agrosciences Company Limited.
This year’s National Farmers Day will be held in Koforidua in the Eastern Region under the theme “accelerating agricultural development through value addition.”
Koudijs presented 20 bags of poultry feed, Nanam Ventures Limited donated 15 bags of fertilisers worth GH₵10,200 and a cheque forGH₵10,000 while GIRSAL also gave a cheque forGH₵ 20,000.
Also, EXIMBANK donated LSplus 80 tractor (80HP 4WD) and its accessories worth GH₵562,842.98 while Rainbow Agrosciences Company Limited Ghana presented 45 cartons pesticides worth GH₵50,000 and a cheque of GH₵2000 and Calli Ghana presented 20 Knapsack sprayers and a cheque of GH₵10,000.
Presenting the items the items the General Manager of Finance at Ghana EXIMBANK (GEXIM), Mr Isaac Amissah Aidoo said his outfit had been supporting the National Farmers day for the past 22 years adding that the bank had been a partner in the annual award since the days of EDIF, EDAIF and now GEXIM)
“We believe in the financing of the agricultural sector to play its role in the nation’s development, especially adding value through processing to export,” he added.
He said the support was to motivate and encourage the hard working farmers and fisher folks tocontinue to play their critical role in the agriculture sector in Ghana’s economy.
Mr Aidoo said the bank operationally was a development and policy bank which sought to support the industrialisation drive of the government and had become the leading financial institution of the 1D1F initiative.
The Technical Manager of Rainbow Agrosciences Company Limited, George Selasie Ocloo said the donation was to deepen the relationship between his outfit, the sector ministry and farmers.
He said the role of farmers could not underestimated in the economic development of country and therefore called on other corporate entities to come on board to support the Ministry to reward farmers this year.
Receiving the item, the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture in charge of Crops, Mr Yaw Frimpong Addo, said farmers had contributed significantly to the wellbeing of Ghanaians as well as the economy
He said through the hard work of farmers there was enough food for Ghanaians despite the high price of foodstuff.
He said it was a worry that the donations were not coming in droves and stated that the current economic situation was the reason for it adding that “ no matter the situation the farmers will be rewarded, we have also tried to manage the situation.”
He called on other corporate organisations who were yet to support the celebration to do so in order to reward and honour farmers.
BY JEMIMA ESINAM KUATSINU & ELIZABETH OFFEI
