BY: REBECCA SEDINAM AFFOR
Asylum down is a well-developed community in the sub of Accra and it is an environment paved with cement with little ground left for backyard gardening. But Mr. Chief John Vanderpuye, an educated young man who quit his well-paying job has proven that with a little space, backyard gardening is possible in the city.
“I quit my well-paying job as a chauffeur to chase my passion, that is to be a farmer” he said. According to him, in 2016 he picked up backyard gardening as a full time business to feed his family and sell to make ends meet.
He cultivates vegetable such as; purple cabbage, okro , tomatoes, pepper ( Kpakpo shito), green pepper, garden eggs, spinach, turmeric, Swiss chard, Egg-plant, chilli pepper, Amaranthus spinosus (aleefu) behind this house.
He also cultivates maize and cocoyam on his farm.
Apart from these, Mr Vanderpuye is into fish farming and has a poultry farm in the house as well.
Benefits from the farm
According to Mr Vanderpuye, the benefits from the farm are immeasurable. “After every two months I am able to make a total income of GH1200.00 from both the cultivation of the vegetables and from my poultry farm and aqua culture business” he said.
“I make additional income from the training session I have for people, which I don’t make account of” he said jokingly. He further stated how glad he was to have engaged in agriculture for these years. “I have never regretted quitting my job to venture into agriculture, it has always been my passion and I love what I do” he said.
On the 2nd of December every year, a celebration is held in Ghana at the District, Regional and National levels to award hardworking and deserving farmers, who have made an impact in the country’s agriculture sector through production of various foods for consumption and importation.
At the Farmers Day Celebrations held at Dodowa in the Shai-Osudoku District, the hard work of Chief John Vanderpuye finally paid off as he was nominated as the best backyard farmer in the Korle Klotey district to represent the district in this year’s Greater Accra Regional Farmers Day celebration.
He was honored as the Best Greater Accra Regional BACKYARD FARMER.
He was awarded with a certificate, a medium size poly tank, three wheelbarrows, three spades, two shovels, five vegetable basket and aqua fertilizers for his tremendous work.
Mr Vanderpuye was happy for the recognition.
“I am very happy my hard work has been recognized and I intend to do more and am available for anyone who has interest in backyard garden. I will be glad to help”, he said in delight.
