The Agricultural Development Bank, (ADB) Plc has presented the cash ultimate prize of GHC600,000 to Alhaji Mohammed Mashud, the winner of the 2021 National Best Farmer Awards held in Cape Coast in the Central Region in December 2021.
ADB has been the lead sponsor of the award ceremony since 2001.
At a ceremony in Accra, the managing director of ADB Plc, Dr John Kofi Mensah said “in his proposal, Alhaji proposed to invest the amount of GHC600,000 in a broiler project with a total cost of about GHC1.1 million. He also proposed to invest an additional GHC500,000 of the award money to shore up same for the project.”
Dr Mensah said the bank has also provided Mashud with a relationship manager to help him manage the funds.
“I believe this project in addition to expanding his farming activities would also create employment for youth in the project’s catchment area. As we have done in the past, the Bank will provide Alhaji with a dedicated relationship manager to assist in ensuring the proper utilization of the funds.”
The National Best Farmer Mohammed Mashud, a professional teacher turned farmer currently cultivates about 850 acres of maize, 19 acres of tomatoes, 43 acres of okro, 48 acres of sorghum, and four acres of shea, 13 acres of mango, a 1,400-cashew plantation, among others.
Planting for Food and Jobs
Dr Mensah reiterated the commitment of ADB to ensuring that the agricultural sector continues to play its critical role in the national economy through the Planting for Food and Jobs.
He said: “ADB remains a major partner for all Agricultural related projects and government flagship programmes, such as Planting for Food and Jobs, Rearing for Food and Jobs, Planting for Export and Rural Development, the agricultural component of One District One Factory Initiative, provision of Outboard Motors to our Fisherfolks and many others.”
Providing ready market
“Having supported the Planting for Food and Jobs (PFJ) campaign from its launch to the investment of over GHS100 million to support the purchase of fertilizers and certified seeds under the campaign, the Bank has increased support to provide a ready market for the expected increase in farmers’ output under the Planting for Food and Jobs campaign.
“To this end, the Bank in late last year approved a total working capital facility of GHS160 million to the National Food Buffer Stock Company Ltd (NAFCO) to buy off excess produce from farmers under the PFJ campaign. Within the last four years, the Bank has approved a total working capital of GHS300 million to NAFCO to purchase mainly grains under the PFJ,” he added.
Gemma Appiah
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