The Ghana Exim Bank, RMG Ghana and Nanam Ventures, Wednesday donated to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture towards this year’s Farmers’ Day celebration, to appreciate and motivate hard working farmers.

The 37th edition of the celebration, slated for November 29 to December 3, in Cape Coast, will focus on the theme: “Planting for Food and Jobs – Consolidating Food Systems in Ghana.”

The celebration will start with an Agricultural Fair, Exhibition and Regional Focus Days and continue with an ADB Farmers’ Forum on December 2, and climaxed with a grand durbar and award ceremony with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the Special Guest of Honour.

The Exim Bank donated a Massey Ferguson tractor valued at GH¢398,700.00 to be given to the first runner up in the ceremony, while RMG Ghana, donated crop protection products, seeds, spraying machines both manual and motorized as well as knapsacks belt worth GH¢50,000.00.

RMG Ghana also donated a cheque for GH¢15,000.00 in aid of a successful organization of the event.

Nanam ventures, on the other hand, donated a cheque for GH¢25,000.00 and agrochemicals like fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides including yield boosters and fruit boosters valued at GH¢7,000.00 and effective for all crops.

Mr Yvan Dorier, the Chief Executive Officer, RMG Ghana, said his company’s support was to contribute to making Ghana a food-sufficient nation.

RMG Ghana believed the most appropriate way to ensure food security for a growing population like Ghana and ensure wealth creation for the farmer was to improve their productivity, through making available for them, the most advanced technology for irrigation, quality crop protection products, fertilizer and seeds for agriculture production, he said.

RMG Ghana currently works with 15,000 farmers across the country where they provide them with farm supplies and expertise training on farming.

Mr Michael Tetteh-Voetagbe, the General Manager, Human Resources & Administration, Ghana Exim Bank, who donated to the Ministry on behalf of the Chief Executive Officer, Management and Board of the bank, said the bank was passionate about contributing to enhance productivity in the agricultural sector.

As the bank had supported the initiative for 11 years, he said they were motivated to keep supporting the sector, as a result of their mandate to support agribusiness in terms of exports and value addition and the fact that the equipment were being used to yield better output.

Mr Tetteh Voetagbe noted that the bank expected the tractor to help the farmers to increase productivity and export of agricultural products.

Mr Sadat Okuampah, the General Manager, Nanam Ventures, said supporting the annual motivational programme was part of his company’s corporate social responsibility projects.
The Nanam Agrochemical company has been in existence for about 10 years and is part of the government’s planting for food and jobs programme.

Yaw Frimpong Addo, the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, expressed gratitude to the three companies for their unwavering support over the years to enhance the agricultural sector.
“The Ministry is more than grateful to these three companies. It is with their support that we are going to have a very good celebration in Cape Coast. We will send everything to be given to the awardees,” he said.

The Deputy Minister said although the government was anxious during the first half of 2021 due to the absence of rains, they were elated things were better.

“Although the first half of this year had an absence of rains, which was detrimental to farmers and the nation at large, the second quarter has been better. We were all afraid of a disaster but nature intervened and blessed us with abundant rainfall within the second half of this year.”