Five companies have donated items to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture towards this year’s National Farmer’s Day Celebrations at its Head Office in Accra.

These companies include; Agricultural Development Bank(ADB), Sidalco, Interplast, Rainbow and Crocodile Machetes Ghana Limited.

The 35th Edition of the Celebration is on the theme: “Enhancing Small Scale Agriculture towards Agribusiness Development” and would be hosted in the Volta Region.

ADB donated a USD 100,000.000 cheque, Sidalco gave a cheque for GHC 50,000 together with its agro products, Interplast gave a cheque for GHC 30,000, Rainbow Agro Science Company Limited donated GHC 20,000 worth of products and Crocodile Machetes Ghana Ltd gave 15 cartons of cutlasses equivalent to 900 pieces.

Dr Nurah Gyiele, Minister of State for Agriculture at the Ministry of Agriculture, expressed his appreciation on behalf of the ministry and farmers to the companies for their support.

He said the cash and the items received would help improve on the Day's celebration and honour the farmers and benefit the year’s celebration, and that national, regional and all 260 district sectors of the ministry would benefit from the support.

Mr Alhassan Yakubu-Tali, Deputy Managing Director of ADB said the support was an indication of their founding mandate as an Agricultural bank and support to their celebration since 2017.

He said the cash prize was to award the 2019 National best farmer.

According to him, their intention for the first prize in cash was for the recipients to use it to expand their business and provide additional employment.

The Day provides a unique opportunity for assessment of the impact of the farmers and fishers on the National economy and to honour farmers who have contributed remarkably in the Sector within the year.

The Farmers Day celebration, was introduced by the Provisional National Defence Council government (PNDC) in 1985 and had since acknowledged the roles farmers and fisherfolks had played with awards.

The prize for the first best farmer notably comprised two machetes, a pair of wellington boots and a preset radio at a national durbar held at Osino in the Eastern Region in 1985.

The prizes have varied over the years, Mr James Obeng Boateng, from the Nkoranza South Municipality in the Brong Ahafo Region, was crowned the 2018 National Best Farmer and received a cash prize of $100,000, equivalent to GH¢480,000 in Tamale.