The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has called on corporate bodies and institutions to support the upcoming 2025 National Farmers Day celebration through donations.
His appeal came after Ndede Company Limited, a Ghanaian manufacturer of Wellington boots, became the first company to donate 150 pairs of boots consisting of 80 pieces of Tenack Black Ordinary Wellington boots and 70 pieces of Tenack Green Ordinary Wellington boots towards the celebration.
He urged other companies to follow suit to ensure a successful celebration, stressing that agriculture is fundamental to the nation’s development and food security.
Mr Opoku emphasised that donations were for the benefit of farmers and gave the assurance that all contributions would be transparently distributed.
"This donation is not to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, but to the farmers.
We assure them that the ministry is simply a conduit to ensure the smooth and transparent transfer of all the items received, including the 150 pairs of Wellington boots, directly to the farmers.
"We also encourage other companies to come on board, as agriculture is the foundation on which all human activity depends," he said.
Upcoming launch
He also revealed that preparations were underway for the official launch of the Farmers Day programme, pending confirmation of the venue by the President, John Dramani Mahama.
Mr Opoku mentioned that the ministry was actively working in the field to identify genuinely deserving awardees, promising transparency and fairness in the selection process by involving technical experts and making farm assessments publicly visible.
Finally, the minister pledged to present all awards during the event, putting an end to past delays where winners received their prizes months after the celebration, and stressed that the entire programme should be concluded during the event itself, with no outstanding issues afterwards.
"As we speak, our technical team is on the ground compiling a list of farmers who genuinely deserve to be recognised.
This year, we are committed to making a difference. We do not want a situation where someone is named 'Best Farmer' without even owning a farm," he said.
"We are also ensuring that the assessment is not done solely by the ministry.
Once the technical team makes its recommendations, the farms of the final three shortlisted candidates will be shown publicly.
That way, when the winner is announced, the public will know that the selection was fair and transparent," he added.
Vital role of farmers
Speaking during the donation ceremony, the General Manager of Ndede Company Limited, Nana Ehoa Acquaye, highlighted the vital role farmers play in Ghana’s economy, describing them as "special people" who ensure food security for the nation.
