News & Events

ADB Hosts Cocktail for Farmers’ Day Award Winners

The Agricultural Development Bank, ADB, hosted a special welcome cocktail in honour and celebration of all the nominees for this year’s Farmers’ Day National Award of which one will be crowned as the National Best Farmer for 2012. The welcome cocktail was held at the forecourt of the State House and ADB used the occasion to reinforce its commitment to the spearheading of agricultural financing in the country.

Speaking at the ceremony, Managing Director of ADB, Mr. Stephen Kpordzih noted that the Bank has succeeded in strengthening its commitment to its core business of agricultural financing as it is on course to achieve or exceed its budget of to GH¢170.0 million for 2012.

“Loan approvals to the agricultural sector have increased progressively year to year. From GH¢ 39.2 million in 2009, we achieved a sharp rise to GH¢100.1 million in 2010, and GH¢141.7 million in 2011. As at mid October 2012, total loan approvals to agriculture had already reached 146.0 million and indications are that we are well on course to achieve or exceed the budget of to GH¢170.0 million targeted for the agricultural sector”, Mr. Kpordzih revealed.

Mr. Stephen Kpordzih described ADB’s long standing association with the National Farmers’ Day Celebration and Award Scheme as an important aspect of the Bank’s corporate social responsibility.

“Our sponsorship with covers the first prize in the form of a three-bedroom house, organization of the farmers’ forum and the hosting of the welcome cocktail, appropriately underlines the importance we as a bank attach to the celebration and its associated Award scheme”, Mr. Kpordzih said.

The Managing Director also added that ADB has always delivered on its sponsorship package towards the National Farmers’ Day Celebration. “ADB has delivered 10 Houses to the Award Winners. Arrangements are far advanced in respect of the delivery of the house for the 2011 winner on his own plot at Old Ningo” he noted.

The Welcome Cocktail in celebration of the Farmers’ Day Award is part of other events to precede the main Farmers Day event. The award nominees commended ADB for its support towards the National Farmers’ Day Celebration and for also fulfilling their promise each year of providing the first prize of a three-bedroom house to the ultimate winner. In addition, they lauded ADB for also sponsoring the National Farmers’ Forum which has helped in bringing out their concerns and finding ways to address them.