Shai-Osudoku, Greater Accra — Hon. Linda Ocloo, Greater Accra Regional Minister, today led the 41st Regional Farmers’ Day celebration in Shai-Osudoku to honour the region’s farmers, fishers and agripreneurs under the national theme “Feed Ghana, Eat Ghana, Secure the Future.”
At the end of the ceremony, Edmond Sodah Amartey, a 36 year old farmer from Murter within the Shai Osudoku District of the Greater Accra region won the 2025 best farmer award whilst eleven (11) farmers and three (3) institutions which included Legon Presec, Manhean SDA basic School and the St. Mary’s Roman Catholic girls’ basic school were also honoured.
Farmers, fishers, agripreneurs and community leaders gathered in Shai-Osudoku District to mark the regional celebration for Greater Accra under the 2025 national theme. Although the national grand durbar is scheduled to be held in Ho in the Volta Region on Friday, 5 December 2025, regional and district-level observances such as this one remain important platforms for recognising the efforts of local producers and agricultural workers.
In her address, Hon. Linda Ocloo emphasized that despite Greater Accra’s urbanizing landscape, the region continues to play a vital role in national food production. She pointed to eight irrigation schemes across Kpong, Dawhenya, Dawa, Ashaiman, Tuba, Michel Camp, Ada East and Angorsekope as supporting year-round farming — enabling cultivation of staples and vegetables, including rice, maize, cassava, tomatoes, watermelon and mangoes. She added that livestock farming thrives with cattle, goats, poultry, grasscutters, rabbits and snails, while aquaculture and fisheries — particularly tilapia, catfish and shrimp farming — are gaining momentum in coastal and inland districts. She noted with pride that many young people, especially women, are embracing agriculture and agribusiness as reliable sources of income.
Hon. Ocloo detailed a range of government-backed interventions under the national Feed Ghana programme to support Greater Accra farmers. She announced that 24,300 farmers have been registered on the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) portal to benefit from support services. She revealed that 850 bags of NPK fertilizer have been supplied to 17 Senior High School farm projects and that the Michel Camp Women Farmers’ Cooperative — under a MoFA–Canada partnership — has received a tractor, three power tillers and five planters. She also disclosed that a Farmers’ Service Centre has been approved for establishment at Asutuare; once operational, the centre will host tractors, combine-harvesters and other machinery to make mechanization more accessible and affordable across the region.
Further, Hon. Ocloo introduced the “Nkoko Nkiti Nkiti” Backyard Poultry Initiative, under which 58 anchor farmers across the region will raise day-old chicks — with the registration of 4-week-old chicks ongoing. She also rolled out the “Yeridua” initiative aimed at supporting vegetable farmers with improved seeds, seedlings, fertilizers and extension services — promoting home and institutional gardening.
Recognizing the vital role of fisheries and aquaculture in food security and livelihoods, the Minister paid tribute to aquaculture farmers across Greater Accra and pledged support to translate increased production into income. She outlined plans to launch a quarterly Regional Food and Exhibition Fair to connect farmers, processors, aggregators and traders; establish Farmers’ Markets to reduce post-harvest losses and bring fresh, affordable produce closer to consumers; and leverage the region’s export potential via proximity to Tema Harbor and Kotoka International Airport for high-value products such as fruits, vegetables, poultry and fish.
In her closing remarks, Hon. Linda Ocloo described farmers and fishers as “the backbone of our survival as a region and as a nation.” She reaffirmed government’s commitment to supporting them through policies, training, input-supply, mechanization, improved extension services and enhanced market access. She urged all stakeholders — government bodies, private sector partners, traditional authorities, youth and communities — to rally behind the vision for a stronger, more productive and self-reliant agricultural sector. “Without farmers, there is no food, no industry, no trade, and no development,” she said, calling for collective action to ensure Ghana produces what it eats and secures a prosperous future for future generations.