The Keta Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Wisdom Seade, has called on the public to prioritise locally grown food products to boost the agricultural sector, enhance productivity, and support farmers across the municipality.
Speaking at the 41st Municipal Farmers’ Day celebration held at Hatorgodo, Mr Seade said the Assembly was implementing several interventions aimed at transforming agriculture, including promoting climate-smart farming techniques, investing in storage infrastructure, and supporting value addition and agro-processing initiatives.
“Agriculture is a key sector providing livelihoods for many people, yet it continues to face significant challenges such as climate change, poor infrastructure, and limited access to credit,” he said. “The government is committed to addressing these issues to ensure the sector thrives.”
Mr Seade encouraged farmers to adopt climate-smart practices, invest in improved storage facilities, and focus on value addition to reduce post-harvest losses and increase income.
He also highlighted the importance of youth involvement in agriculture, describing young people as “game changers” capable of driving innovation and securing sustainable food systems.
He noted, however, that barriers such as limited access to land, credit, training, and markets continue to discourage youth from entering the sector.
To tackle these challenges, he said the Assembly would roll out interventions including youth-focused training, affordable start-up grants, cooperative models, incubation hubs for agribusiness startups, and improved access to land.
Mr Seade urged young people to view agriculture as a “frontier of opportunity” and encouraged them to explore areas such as production, agro-processing, logistics, and digital agriculture.
He added that local foods such as okro, pepper, onion, leafy vegetables, and fish were nutritious and of high quality, urging households to rely more on these products to support local farmers and promote healthier diets.
Mr Godwin Tettey, Keta Municipal Director of Agriculture, said livestock production remained an essential part of the local economy.
He noted that veterinary officers were working diligently to ensure the health of cattle, small ruminants, and poultry across the municipality.
“This year alone, we received about 10 requests for farm assessments from police prosecutors regarding recurring destruction of farms by cattle,” he said.
At the event, 54-year-old farmer Mr Pascal Dasilveira from Nolopi was crowned the 2025 Municipal Best Farmer.
He expressed gratitude for the recognition but raised concerns about persistent challenges such as pests and diseases, high input costs, unpredictable rainfall, post-harvest losses, and limited access to mechanisation and structured markets.
He urged the Department of Agriculture to strengthen collaborations with the private sector, NGOs, research institutions, and government agencies to mobilise more support for farmers.
He also called for greater investment in irrigation, extension services, youth empowerment, mechanisation, and digital tools to boost productivity.
Mr Dasilveira appealed to the government to provide farmers with the necessary support and encouraged the public to continue prioritising local produce to help grow the local economy.
All award winners received various prizes and certificates for their contributions.
The district-level celebration was brought forward to allow stakeholders to focus on the national Farmers’ Day event scheduled for Friday, December 5, in Ho.
