In view of the importance of the role of farmers in the economic development of this nation, every effort has been made to recognise and honour our farmers.

Without farmers, there would be no food, and it would be difficult for workers to have the energy with which to contribute their quotas to industry and other sectors of the economy. This shows that agriculture forms the foundation of the econo­my in this country, just as it does in others.

Farmer’s Day was observed yesterday, and we salute all farmers across the country for the vital role they have played and continue to play.

Farming is a difficult activity, but in spite of this, our farmers continue to work hard to feed the nation and, in some cases, produce raw materi­als for the industrial sector.

This means that the industrial sector can only grow well if the raw material base receives a boost in terms of high production. The juice factory at Ekumfi, for example, is able to function well because farmers have been able to produce enough raw materials for that fac­tory.

In the same way, fruits or other raw materials can be produced in large quantities to feed factories set up in various parts of the coun­try under the “One District, One Factory” initiative. This is how the industrial base in the country can be strengthened to support its econo­my.

In like manner, we expect our farmers, with the support of all peo­ple, to increase production in the food sector so as to be able to feed the nation and also send surplus food to other countries for revenue for the country.

Thus, we expect the government, through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, to adequately support the agricultural sector so that the country can be self-sufficient in terms of food production as well as raw material output.

We are also encouraging exten­sion officers to do their best and help all farmers apply scientific methods to increase their yields. This can be done, so every effort must be made in this direction to boost agricultural production.

Another issue is transportation in food-producing areas. We are aware that the government is doing well in the area of road construction to link various parts of our communities.

However, special attention must be paid to the construction of roads in the food-producing areas. This will help transport agricultural products to consumption centres throughout the country, making it possible for the consuming public to buy food items at lower prices.

The Spectator commends all award winners for their good work and urges them not to rest on their oars but continue to work hard to boost output in the agricultural sec­tor to help the country. In the same way, we encourage everyone in the country to show interest in farming by undertaking backyard farming activities.

Even if such activities are under­taken on a small scale as expect­ed, they will go a long way toward making the country self-sufficient in food and raw material production.

Once again, we salute all farmers in the country for their immense contribution to the economy