Madam Charity Akortia, a professional teacher, and commercial farmer from Agona West District of the Central Region, is the 2023 National Best Farmer. Madam Akortia, assisted by her husband and four children, started sowing her commercial seeds 30 years ago. Now 57, her passionate strides in sustainable farming, have been rewarded by a bountiful harvest of a One Million Ghana Cedi-prize at the 39th National Farmers' Day Awards ceremony. The event was held Friday evening, at the University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa, in the Western Region. Her farming enterprise - Greenworth Farms - employs a total of 277 workers, including 64 full-time employees. The resilient farmer is assisted by four family members. The farms are located in the Agona East, Agona West, Ekumfi and Ketu-North Districts. Greenworth Farm is highly diversified - with crop enterprises covering the broad areas of roots and tubers, cereals, vegetables, plantation crops, legumes and timber species. Her livestock enterprises consist of large ruminants, small ruminants, pigs, rabbits, grasscutters, local and exotic poultry. In addition, Madam Charity has 185 boxes of beehives, which have been colonised with bees, and two fish ponds stocked with tilapia and catfish. She has 1200 bags of mushrooms. Madam Akortia cultivates crops and rears farm animals for very good reasons - consistent with the principles of integration of farming operations in a sustainable manner. The leftovers of her crop harvests are used to feed her farm animals; the maize is used to feed the poultry birds and cassava peels, groundnut/sweetpotato vines are used as supplementary feeds for the cattle, sheep, goats and pigs. The droppings of her farm animals and other crop residues are applied to maintain soil fertility and cut down the cost of inputs, especially inorganic fertiliser. Also, the water from the fish pond is used to irrigate vegetables and cocoa during the dry season. Madam Akortia has good knowledge of crop husbandry practices and obtains her planting m aterials from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Crop Research Institute, and Ghana Cocoa Board. She employs both organic and inorganic methods of fertilisation and also practices good sanitation in her crop and animal farms to address the problem of pests and diseases. The practice of non-burning of harvest residue has helped to conserve soil moisture, while the use of farmyard manure has maintained soil fertility, the 2023 National Best Farmer Selection Team, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, said. The major processing activities of the crop and animal enterprises are coconut in juice, cookies, oils, cake, chips, pepper into powder and paste, and groundnuts into paste. Also, Madam Akortia produces the seeds of okro, pepper and garden eggs as well as cowpea, to support seed supply to farmers. Planting and harvesting are done through both mechanised and manual operations. In terms of animal husbandry practices, Madam Akortia has good criteria for the selection of breeding animals. Her desire to keep particular species of animal is motivated by the demands of the market, profitability, environmental suitability and the monetary returns, the Selection Team noted. 'She relies heavily on the advice of the Veterinary Officer in charge of the community to address the health needs of her animals. The feeding of her cattle is done extensively through grazing, while she uses residues of harvested crops, such as cassava, cowpea, rice and maize crop, to feed her small ruminants. She keeps to the structured vaccination regime to secure the health of her farm animals. She also processes meat and fish products (catfish,tilapia, pork, chicken) as well as and honey. Madam Akortia says combining teaching and farming with family services has been obviously tough, but fulfilling. She says agriculture is the way to go if the country has to develop economically. Madam Akortia says agriculture positively impacts economic development by addressing unemployment, promoting innovation, fostering entrepreneurship and contri buting to the overall wellbeing of communities. Thus, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, she urged the government to enhance its role of creating an enabling environment that encouraged and supported youth involvement in agriculture. 'Agriculture pays a lot. It is through these farming activities that I can care for my children through school. I can proudly say my children have had the best of education,' she says with a winner's grin. ' It is all through farming. So, the youth must venture into faming because it is profitable.' In an address, Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, lauded the award winners for the feat achieved. He commended farmers for being the cornerstone of the nation's agricultural growth, saying the nation was appreciative of their commitment and patriotism. Agriculture, he said, held the key to the nation's growth amid the global development challenges. The government was, therefore, determined to inject the requisite resources into the sector for progress, he assured. 'Ther e is still a lot that can be done to enhance efficiency in all the agricultural value chains,' he noted. Dr. Bryan Acheampong, Minister of Food and Agriculture, expressed optimism that the country would achieve food sufficiency soon given the vibrant nature of the second phase of the Planting for Food and Jobs initiative, launched in August. Source: Ghana News Agency
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