By Gloria Agbemasi Davordzie
A Chief Agricultural Scientist, Dr. Roger Kanton has saluted the nation’s farmers for working hard to feed the people even in the coronavirus pandemic.
Dr. Kanton also thanked the government for making funds available for the celebration of this year’s farmer’s days, but he appealed to the Finance Minister and the Agriculture Minister to make money available on time for importation of fertilizer for improved yield.
”I want to thank the government for always being ready for the celebration of the National Farmers Day, I think it is quite a commendable thing and we have to thank the government. Personally I have been so much impressed, every year the National Farmers Day celebration seems to improve and I think that is all we all want. Going forward we salute our farmers for what they have done from January to December. I think they have fed the country even in the period of the Coronavirus, when things were difficult and most Nations were not exporting food here in Ghana the farmers really supported us even when we thought things were challenging, we had challenges from weather and also fertilizer smuggling that not withstanding farmers have been able to produce to meet our demands. I want to thank farmers again, I want to personally appeal to those who will be receiving the awards. The awards should be a catalyst that will help them to do more”.
Dr. Kanton kicked against presenting money to the Best Farmer saying it is not the way to go. He suggested that agricultural implements or inputs should rather be presented to the farmers to improve and enhance their farming business.
He also asked the government to address the food security challenges facing the country.
”I think it’s not a good way at all, I certainly am against that because when you do that it’s a recipe for disaster because the tendency for farmers to divert that money into unnecessary things that may not directly help in farming is very high.
I would have thought that they would have provided Agriculture Machinery like tractor and trailer and it’s accessories or Combined Harvesters or even a Four Wheel Pickup that the farmer can use to carry out his activities as it was done in the past.
Farmers do not need building unlike the teachers do. I think the awards should strictly be in the area of agriculture. I know the one who will win, no matter how successful you are, there are always problems that farmers will always need equipment, implements, and all that, according to Chief Agricultural Scientist, Dr. Roger Kanton.