It will be the 32nd consecutive year that the National Farmers Day awards has been held to boost the morale of the people who till the land, rear all kinds of livestock and either produce fish or catch same from the ocean to feed the public.

Traditionally held on the first Friday of December each year, since its inception in 1985 by the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), the National Farmers Day awards is this year, being held on the first Friday of November, in view of the upcoming presidential and parliamentary elections. This has been the practice during each election year so that the awards don’t get overshadowed by preparations towards the elections.

Apart from the national durbar held at a different venue each year where deserving farmers and fishermen win national awards, all regional and district capitals also hold similar awards concurrently.

Ultimate winners

Interestingly though, no farmer has won the National Best Farmer title twice since its institution, suggesting a very keen competition among the farmers to win the coveted title each year.

Winners have come from all the regions except the Volta Region, with the Ashanti Region taking a commanding lead with seven since the awards was instituted. They are followed by the Central Region with four winners and then by the Eastern and Greater Accra regions which have produced three National Best Farmers apiece.

The National Best Farmer slot has, however, been dominated by males with the only female, Madam Efua Frimpongmaa from the Central Region, winning the coveted title in 2004 during the 20th edition held in Ho in the Volta Region on the theme; “Food safety and Improved Nutrition for a Healthy and Active nation.”  

Rewarding farmers

The National Farmers Day awards event was initially instituted to honour farmers and fishermen for the role they played in the economy in 1984.

A national programme was thought up, after the farmers responded to a call for increased food production following very poor agricultural yields in 1982 and 1983 caused by an unprecedented incidence of bush fires which contributed to the country’s severest famine in recent times.

Since the first awards, however, the Farmers Day has remained one of the most important events on Ghana’s calendar and due to its importance and significance; the day has survived different governments who have run the affairs of the country.

Thus, from an awards programme which gave out basic farming tools such as wellington boots, machetes, preset radio, cutlasses, sacks, bicycles and boots to deserving farmers, it has evolved to one that presents tractors, pick-ups, a house and cash prizes, among other items, with the support of corporate bodies and individuals in the country.

Some of the corporate bodies, such as the ADB Bank which for about 15 years has donated a three-bedroom house to the National Best Farmer, have made good their pledges to support the awards every year with specific items so as to keep it going.

2016 Farmers Day awards

This year’s national durbar would be hosted by the Brong Ahafo Region at Kintampo on the theme; “Agriculture: A Business Response to Economic Growth”.

Incidentally, the winner of the 1987 event held in Essumeja in the Ashanti Region was Mr Thomas Ahima from the Brong Ahafo Region.

Later in 2008 when the event was held for the second time in the Brong Ahafo Region at Techiman on the theme; “Globalisation: Its Effect on Agricultural Production in Ghana”, the ultimate award once again went to the region’s Dr Simon Saku.

At the 2016 Farmers Day launch in Accra, a Deputy Chief of Staff at the Flagstaff House, Mr Johnny Osei-Kofi, said that the government was providing a framework and institutional basis for a long-term engagement and supplementary financing for scaling up investment in the private sector-led pro-poor agricultural value chain development.

Award winners, prizes

Since 1986, 30 farmers from across the country have won the ultimate National Best Farmer award and received various prizes for chalking up that feat.

Thus, from the prize of a preset radio, two machetes and a pair of wellington boots at Osino in the Eastern Region, the awards