25th Annual Farmers’ Day

What is Farmer’s Day?

Farmers’ Day was instituted in 1984, after a particularly bad period of drought and hunger the previous year, when it hardly rained, there was a very bad harvest, widespread bush fires, and many Ghanaians starved. to compound the problem, Nigeria deported a great number of Ghanaians who were working in that country, who arrived to swell the population …

… In 1984 … it rained. The harvest was much better, and so Farmer’s Day was instituted to thank the hardworking and often un-rewarded farmers for their efforts. It was not initially a holiday, though. Indeed, I believe it was not until 1995 that it was declared a national holiday.   - Bradt Guide to Ghana

Lawra District Farmers Day

Each year there is a theme for the National Farmers Day Celebration. This year it was “Accelerated Agricultural Modernization for Food Security and Economic Transformation”. In meetings preparing for the event, MoFA staff was enthusiastic about the theme. Based on my observations of the Upper West, however, I struggle to see how this theme is entirely relevant when people are struggling with even the motivation to get out and put a sincere effort into their farms, let alone a modernized approach. Maybe I’m thinking about this with too much of my Western hat on. When I think modernization I tend to think of the British Agricultural Revolution, Jethro Tull and Andrew Meikle, and the Green Agricultural Revolution of the 20th Century. To many of the farmer’s here though, I guess modernization is using long handled hoes as opposed to bending over for hours laboring in their fields with short handles, crop rotation … anyway …

As a woman on the MoFA staff, the Director was adamant that I participate with the women in preparing all the food for the event. The people of the host town were responsible for preparing and providing food and drink for all the farmers and visitors for the day. MoFA was responsible for providing food and drink for all the dignitaries and officials for the day.

All week I’d been feeling slightly under the weather, but not yet entirely sick. Tired, but resolved to participate in Farmer’s Day I joined Mariko, Felicia, Asana, Mercy, and  Elizabeth to shop for the ingredients. I think about the times my mom and I worked together to prepare large volumes of food for weddings, parties, etc, in Canada. One trip to Costco, another trip to Sobey’s and maybe a Wal-mart trip and we were good to go. The ladies had gone to Wa the day before to buy the food containers, napkins, utensils, and some of the vegetables; the men were headed out to slaughter the animals; we were headed out through Lawra to get more vegetables.

Walking around Lawra, I realized I was starting to not feel very well at all, but again, determined to participate fully in the preparations, just kept it to myself. While we were waiting for, well, I don’t remember now what exactly we were waiting for, probably the truck, I managed to sneak a nap on a bench at Elizabeth’s house. We eventually got the truck loaded up and headed out to Toupare.

When we arrived there was no water immediately available for us at the site. Someone managed to find us a giant poly tank, and then we solicited the help of the local school girls to fill it for us. 

  

We then started our labors …

While were supposed to be focusing on preparing food for the Farmer’s Day events, we were also required to make lunch and dinner for the staff who were starting to get things set up. To be honest, at this point I realized that I was getting tired of Africa. Just how much cooking do we have to do? How come everything takes so long? And I was hungry. Really really hungry. I will fully admit to sneaking / stealing extra fried plantains before we ate them, and after my share was finished as well.

I spent part of the afternoon chopping okre and tomatoes, and then, well … it was nap time again for me.

The women were sleeping over at the school so they could be up in the early hours of the morning to start preparing the food. However, all the agric staff agreed that I needed to go back to Lawra and sleep in my own bed for the night. I was at the point where I wasn’t going to disagree.

After coughing and struggling to breathe through most of the night I managed to get myself out of bed. Deciding I needed breakfast, I biked into town. I still remember how cold I felt. I’m sure it was about 18 C, but had my hoodie sleeves pulled down over my hands and wishing for mittens and a scarf. Everyone I passed laughed at how cold the white girl looked. I still don’t understand the idea that just because I’m white and from Canada I should be able to tolerate the cold. I don’t do well with Canadian winters, and I don’t do well with the cool season in Africa.

The bike ride there and back was more than exhausting. I knew for sure I was sick. Sigh …

I arrived at the MoFA office on-time, only of course, we weren’t going to leave for many more hours. I sat on the front steps watching everyone attempt to load the truck. Director asked me why I was enjoying myself so much, and I replied that I felt like I was watching a sitcom. He sat down beside me for a few minutes and then started to laugh. He agreed with me. He’d never really taken a step back and just look at how ridiculous everything must look to an outsider. After a good shared laugh, he asked me to take pictures and film some of it. I appreciate the fact that he had a great sense of humor.

Nap time again.

Director came and found me sleeping in the conference room on a bench (I must note that I am quite proud of the fact that I have learned how to successfully nap on benches. I see this as a very valuable and very authentic African skill). I guess naps at 8:30 am mean you are sick. I had to beg and plead to be allowed to continue to participate in Farmer’s Day. Fortunately, my argument that this would be my first and last Farmer’s Day was substantial enough and I was allowed to continue on with my quasi-participation.

Time passes …

The truck has not yet returned.

More time passes.

The truck has died somewhere along the way.

We rounded up some motos and got the rest of the officers out to the site, and Director found a truck from the District Assembly that had not yet left. They came to pick us up, and then we went to pick up the minerals (pop). It is now 10 am. (Note the sign above, wasn’t this event supposed to start at 8am prompt?).

As soon as we arrived, the event got started. I mean, you can’t start the Farmer’s Day celebrations with out the Director of Agric, can you?

My role as official photographer and videographer commenced. And of course, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. I was really focused on capturing the images of the day, I didn’t may much attention to the speeches that were going on. However, one thing stood out to me. Instead of simply focusing on continued support for the farmers, the Director expressed his disappointment of the efforts of the farmer’s this year. They had received plentiful support, but did not act to the fullest of their capabilities in tending to their crops, etc. He made a very passionate plea to the people about responsibility and accountability for the future of their families and of the area. I appreciated this.

The inspection of crops and livestock reminded me of the Calgary Stampede. The Agric officers and District Assembly staff walked around to see the exhibits people had put together. There were no prizes offered for the exhibits, but you could see the pride people had as they brought forward their biggest gourds and finest beans.

After the festivities had finished, I ate with the officials. I actually felt really awkward about this, since the other MoFA volunteer was serving, but I guess the plan was to get me fed and home to bed as soon as possible. Director put me in the first District Assembly truck that was leaving.

I showered and crawled into bed.

And so ended my one and only Farmer’s Day, again, entirely grateful that I am not a farmer.

For more photos from the Lawra District Farmer’ Day, held in Toupare, please see: Farmer's Day Photos