38-year-old Isaac Amondem is Upper East Regional 2023 Best FarmerStudents urged to build success on moral and spiritual foundation

Isaac Amondem, a 38-year-old mixed farmer from Wiaga in the Builsa North Municipality, has emerged as the Upper East Regional overall best farmer in the 39th edition of the Farmers' Day celebration held at Bolgatanga. For his prize, he received a tricycle and mist blower, two matchets, two pairs of Wellington boots, a knapsack sprayer and a certificate while Naab Akajiaya Akanfeila, 58 and Madam Charity Zangina Liniyuligba, 43, were adjudged best regional livestock and female farmers respectively. They received a tricycle, blower, two matchets, two pairs of Wellington boots, a knapsack sprayer and a certificate each. In all, 220 farmers comprising 205 females and 15 males from the 15 Municipalities and Districts across the region received awards and were given prizes ranging from certificates, tricycles, motorbikes to fridges and televisions among others. The number included award winners from the regional and district levels. It was held on the theme: 'Delivering Smart Solutions for Sustainable Food Se curity and Resilience.' Speaking during the celebration, Mr Stephen Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Minister, said agriculture had been the engine of the country's economic development and had provided employment opportunities for the majority of the people. 'It is therefore proper we celebrate and duly recognize and honour the tireless efforts of our gallant farmers and fisher folks for their immense contribution to the agriculture sector by producing food for the growing population and industries of this country,' he said. The Regional Minister said the theme for this year's celebration was relevant in tackling the adverse impacts of climate change and the country's drive to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly goals one, two and 12, which talk about ending poverty, and hunger and ensuring climate resilience respectively. He proposed innovative technologies that provided real-time data on weather patterns, pest infestations and market conditions as transformative solutions to boosting agriculture productivity. 'It is in view of this that the Ghana Agricultural Sector Investment Programme (GASIP) collaborated with the Ghana Meteorological Agency to provide weather information to farmers during the farming season. 'This has bridged information gaps and enabled farmers to respond swiftly to changing conditions and equipped them with the knowledge needed to make timely and informed decisions,' he added. Alhaji Zakaria Fuseini, the Upper East Regional Director of the Department of Agriculture, noted that despite the challenges such as the high cost of inputs, and erratic rainfall, among others that confronted agriculture production, preliminary analysis of the food balance sheet revealed that there would be food surplus in the region after the just ending farming season. He, however, noted that the Upper East region was the hardest hit by climate change impacts, therefore, the an urgent need for innovative digital technologies that provide adaptive climate-smart agriculture measures to buil d farmers' resilience to adapt to changing climate. The Regional Best Farmer noted that issues of high cost of fertilizer, seeds, farm implements and erratic rainfall continued to be major factors affecting agriculture productivity and urged the Government to work to encourage the youth to venture into dry season farming to boost food security. Source: Ghana News Agency Dr Samuel Twumasi-Ankrah, President of Heritage Christian College has urged students to portray good morals and have a spiritual foundation to be successful. He said adherence to moral and spiritual principles formed the foundation of their character and had a positive impact and endurance on both their personal and professional endeavors. Dr Ankrah made the call at the 5th graduation ceremony of the University at Amasaman, Accra. 'As you step into the next chapter of your lives, remember that success built on a solid moral and spiritual foundation is enduring,' he said. He said: 'your conviction in God's truths and commitment to moral and spiritual principles will serve as a compass, guiding you in making ethical decisions.' 'Upholding integrity and honesty in all your pursuits will not only lead to personal success but also contribute to the betterment of the community and society', he added. The President charged students to be resilient in God and rely on spiritual guidance for strength as they fac e the world in these difficult times. 'In times of adversity, let your faith be the anchor that steadies you, enabling you to face challenges with courage, hope, and perseverance,' he said. He encouraged students to build meaningful relations to be successful and be impactful to others, indicating that networking had become the new tool in securing a better career and exposure to opportunities. He advised students to strive to leave a legacy of purpose, where their achievements align with the greater good and the glory of God. 'Let your success be a testament to the transformative power of faith and adherence to moral and spiritual principles' he added. Meanwhile, 66 students met the requirements for the award of bachelor's degree in various accredited programmes offered by the University. He said the University had been granted by the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission for the running of the following Masters and Bachelor Degree programmes: MSc. Human Resource Management, MSc. Accounting and Taxation, MSc. Accounting and Finance, BSc. Nursing, BSc. Information Security and, BSc. Accounting with Computing, BBA Entrepreneurship and Technology, and BBA Logistics and Supply Chain Management. He said the University had introduced a Scholarship Endowment Fund aimed at supporting brilliant but needy students and they had completed the construction of the Fair Learning Commons and the Fair CEPE Building. 'These facilities stand as a testament of our commitment to providing an enhanced and conducive environment for teaching, learning and administration,' he said. Source: Ghana News Agency