The Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) has presented a cheque of GH¢570, 000 Solomon Kwadwo Kusi, the 2020 National Best Farmer. The amount is the ultimate prize to the overall winner of the 2020 National Farmers Celebration Award held in Techiman in the Bono East Region.
At a ceremony in Accra, the ADB Managing Director, Dr. John Kofi Mensah initially handed over the GH¢570,000 cheque to the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto who in turn presented it to Solomon Kusi, the 2020 National Best Farmer.
Dr. Kofi Mensah indicated that the bank received an agri-business proposal from Mr. Kusi through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture in which he outlined how he was going to use the funds. “Our Agribusiness Division perused the document and we are satisfied with all the things outlined by Mr. Kusi,” he said.
According to the ADB Managing Director, the document indicated that part of the money will be used to acquire and install cocoa drying house, expand most of his current operations, employee more people, dig three boreholes, expand his mechanization centre and purchase more farming materials, seeds and feed.
“Our expectation is that by upgrading and expanding the mechanization center, more farmers in his catchment area would benefit from mechanization services,” he added.
Dr. Kofi Mensah reiterated the bank’s commitment to support all initiatives aimed at guaranteeing food sufficiency and ensuring that the agricultural sector remain the backbone of our economy.
In his remarks, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto stated that government and ADB have agreed to continue with the ‘flexible’ arrangement which allows the ultimate winner of the National Best farmers’ competition to decide how to spend the ultimate prize.
According to him, government through the Agriculture Ministry was also looking at how to restructure the national farmers’ awards scheme to ensure that more farmers were recognized.
Solomon Kusi in his speech, thanked ADB and the Ministry for Food and Agriculture for fulfilling their pledge to him. He assured all stakeholders that the funds would be judiciously utilized for the benefit of the agricultural sector.
