ADB fetes 2019 National Best Farmers

The Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) has hosted the 2019 National Best Farmers Award winners to a special welcome cocktail.

The cocktail, which has become part of the National Farmers’ Day celebration for the past 10 years, is organised by ADB to welcome the best farmers who have been nominated at the national level for awards.

The event was organised in the Volta Regional capital, Ho, where this year’s National Farmers’ Day celebration will be held.

It was to appreciate the hard work of the farmers.

Rationale

Organised at the Residency of the Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, the Managing Director of ADB, Dr John Kofi Mensah, congratulated the nominees for coming tops in their respective regions to be given the national recognition.

Dr Mensah said the bank, aside from sponsoring the ultimate prize package of $100,000 and the National Farmer’s Forum, the welcome cocktail had also become a key sponsorship package for the National Farmers’ Day celebration to give the national heroes the opportunity to interact with one another.

“The welcome cocktail affords the winners the opportunity to interact with each other, with government officials and executive of the bank for a healthier relationship,” he said.

Agric financing

The ADB managing director said the unwavering support for the Farmers’ Day was a further indication of “our desire to remain focused on our founding mandate as the best bank in agricultural financing in the country.”

He further stated that as part of efforts to deepen its commitment to the agricultural sector, ADB had set an ambitious target of increasing its agricultural loan portfolio to 50 per cent of its total loan portfolio by the year 2022.

“Currently, the bank’s portfolio stands at 39 per cent which remains the highest within the banking sector,” he added.

Dr Mensah reaffirmed ADB’s commitment to support farmers and fishers with tailor-made products and services which would make banking easier and better for them.

“ADB remains the only bank with full commitment to the growth of your business with products such as overdraft, short and medium-term loan facilities,” he added.

Ministers

For his part, the Volta Regional Minister welcomed the award winners to the region and congratulated them for their hard work, saying that they were all winners regardless of who would be adjudged the national best at the grand ceremony.

Dr Letsa also commended ADB for its support towards the National Farmers’ Day celebration over the past 17 years as well as their commitment to fulfilling the promise of giving the cedi equivalent of $100,000 to the ultimate winner.

The Minister of State at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Dr Gyeile Nurah, who is the Chairman of National Planning Committee, commended ADB for its commitment towards the National Farmers’ Day celebration.

“ADB has exhibited much commitment towards the celebration of the National Farmers’ Day Celebration since its inception and remains a trusted partner in the welfare of the Ghanaian farmer,” Dr Nurah said.