GEXIM, 5 others donate towards Farmers’ Day

Six companies in the agricultural value chain have donated cash and agricultural items to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) ahead of the 38th National Farmers’ Day celebrations.

They include the Ghana Export and Import (GEXIM) Bank which donated an LS plus 80 Tractor (80HP 4WD) and its accessories valued at GH¢562,842.98; Koudijs Ghana Limited which donated 20 bags of poultry feed worth GH¢6,500; and the Ghana Incentive-Based Risk-Sharing System for Agricultural Lending Project (GIRSAL) which donated GH¢20,000.00.

The others are Rainbow Agro Sciences Company Limited which donated pesticides worth GH¢50,000 and cash of GH¢2,000; Calli Ghana Growing Solutions which donated GH¢10,000 and 20 knapsack sprayers; and Nanam Ventures Limited which donated GH¢10,000 and 15 sacks of fertiliser valued at GH¢10,200.

Significance

The General Manager of Finance of GEXIM, Isaac Emmisah Aidoo, in a short remark said the bank believed in the financing of the agricultural sector to play its role in the nation's development, especially adding value through processing for export.

He said the gesture was to motivate and encourage hardworking farmers and fisher folks to continue to play their roles in country's economy.

“We are more than happy to support the Farmers’ Day and we have been supporting it for the past 22 years. This year, which has been very challenging, is when the support is even needed more,” he said.

The Finance Manger of Calli Ghana, Ransford Tetteh, said the company had always been a partner to the agrochemical industry, adding that it viewed farmers as partners and not as customers.

“When it comes to investments, we also receive good returns on their investments by giving them a combination of products that ensure they have received enough yield on their plants,” he added.

The General Manager of Nanam Ventures Limited, Sadat Okuampah, said the gesture was necessary because farmers needed to be supported and appreciated for the hard work they did in feeding the population.

“We want to say ayekoo to our farmers and congratulations to the ministry for the hard work they are doing,” he said.

Gratitude

The Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture in charge of Crops, Yaw Frimpong Addo, who received the donations on behalf of the ministry, expressed his profound gratitude to all the companies.

He was grateful for the gesture because the private sector was thinking of farmers “in these times when the country is going through economic challenges”.

Mr Addo pledged the ministry’s commitment to putting the items and the money to good use by awarding them to the most deserving farmers.

He called on other companies in the sector to go to the aid of farmers, adding that they contributed a lot to keep the country going.