The Municipal Chief Executive for Obuasi, Elijah Adansi-Bonah has reiterated the need for the country to focus more on adding value to agriculture as a means of job creation.

"...value addition as a tool for agricultural growth has the potential to transform the customer’s base of agricultural products and expand revenue sources for producers to boost revenue generation, foreign exchange earnings and create more jobs for the youth".

Adansi-Bonah encouraged farmers in the Obuasi Municipality to embrace value addition which he said involves innovation and product modification through processing, packaging, craft, branding and quality assurance procedures using modern machines.

He said this at the 38th National Farmers' Day celebration held at Mmiriwa No. 2 in Obuasi in the Ashanti Region.

The theme, "Accelerating agricultural development through value addition", according to the MCE, touches on a paradigm shift from the usual ways of doing things in the agricultural sector.

Municipal MOFA Director for Obuasi, Raphael Atta Preprah said "Observing the National Farmers’ Day is an opportunity for the country to reflect on the contributions of farmers to the socio-economic development of the country".

Thirty-eight years old Elizabeth Fremah, a resident of Binsere, was adjudged the Obuasi Municipal Best Farmer after a very rigorous selection process. 

Fremah, who is a cocoa farmer, has been actively involved in farming for the past 22 years.

She took home an Anglogold Ashanti sponsored motorised tricycle, 40-inch LED TV, GTP wax print, 10 machetes, Sunphosate Glyphosate Weedicide, Knapsack sprayer, Wellington boot, brush cutter, portable seed planter and 5 bars of key soap.

"I had to quit my job as a baker to venture into agriculture", she said while encouraging more women to develop interest in agriculture.

Seventy-eighty year old cocoa farmer at Asratoase, Stephen Akore Agyeman came second, and took home a deep freezer, 40 inches television and other prizes.       

Climate Change
Elijah Adansi-Bonah meanwhile hinted that the Obuasi Municipal Assembly will soon launch a programme to fight the impact of climate change by professing either mitigating measures or adaptation practices.

"the Assembly will facilitate the process to grow more trees to complement government efforts through the Green Ghana project.

He however charged mining companies and other corporate institutions in the Obuasi enclave to join forces with the Assembly to initiate and support activities to fight climate change.