58-year-old Alhaji Awudu Karim from the Kasena Nankana District of the Upper East region has been adjudged the 2013 National Best Farmer.

Alhaji Awudu Karim, who was not available to pick his award, will receive a three-bedroom house to be sited at his preferred location, a pick-up vehicle and a tractor.

The 29th edition of the Farmers' Day celebrations, which took place at Sogakope in the Volta Region, also saw Mr. Edward Maxwell Aninkorah and Abdulai Seidu being adjudged second and third National Best Farmers respectively.

The celebration, which is on the theme: "Reducing post harvest loses for sustainable food security and nutrition" saw other gallant farmers throughout the country recognized for sustaining the agric sector.

Winners in the fisheries and aqua-culture category are 49-year-old, Christopher Letsa from Sogakope (2nd runner-up), 43-year-old Agya Kwesi  of Discove in the Ahanta West district of the Western region (1st runner-up) with the over-all winner being 45-year-old Kwame Djan of Apam in the Goamoa West district of the Central region.

Additionally, the 2006 national best livestock farmer went to Alhaji Dakobo Daraji from the Upper West region.

Several other farmers across the country were also honoured for single crop production such as cow peas, cocoanut, maize, watermelon, cashew, cotton and sheanut among others.

Handing over the sword of authority to the representative of the 2013 National Best Farmer, the 2012 National Best Farmer, Lemuel Martey called for a reduction in the rate at which land is given out to estate developers at the detriment of farming.

According to him, if land is given out much more to estate developers, there would be no land left for food cultivation.

He therefore asked government to take a look at silos and make irrigation a national policy for increased agric production.

The occasion also brought together traditional rulers from the Volta region including the paramount chief of Bator, Togbui Patamia Dzekley VIII, who called for support from government and other institutions to make farming attractive to the youth.