Banana and plantain farmers in Pabi, a town near Asamankase in the Eastern Region have expressed concern over the winner-takes-all system of National Farmers Day Award which they said is killing their progress.

Sharing their ordeal with the Ghanaian Farmer Show on Joy Prime TV, the small-holder farmers said the neglect from authorities even on farmers day does not make it worth celebrating.

A banana farmer, Victoria Ahwireng, revealed that it is heartbreaking to see zero recognition for small-scale farmers on the celebrated day if you don’t win any award.

Putting out her demands, she asked the government to assist them with technical knowledge and subsidised tools in order to boost production and improve their livelihoods.

“Farming is a tough job. I climb this mountain every day before coming to my farm and I think it will be good when the government comes in to give us support and recognition.

It should not always be about the award winners alone,” she told host, Enyonam.

Madam Ahwrireng further stated that embarking on a programme to entice the youth to enter plantain farming is prudent in order to make them take advantage of the returns in the sector.

Pabi is a community in West Akim Municipality of the Eastern Region which has a population of about 2000 and the residents are mainly involved in subsistence farming.

The major obstacle hindering the progress of the farmers is immotorable roads as about 80 per cent of the farmland are found on hills.

Banana and Plantain farming, especially the plantation type is a cash crop that has the potential to become one of the most profitable agribusinesses in Ghana if well planned and managed.

Plantain farming is also quite easy to cultivate and maintain, unlike other cash crops that require so much time and money to maintain and also an important source of revenue for farmers who produce the crop on small scales.

The only challenge is the destruction suffered by the trees during heavy winds and or storms when the crops are pulled down in the process, leaving them destroyed.

Plantain is a staple food enjoyed in many Ghanaian homes and across Africa.