HARVEST OF LEGACY: Celebrating Martin Appiah-Danquah’s 100th Birthday: A Tribute to His Dedication to Farmers

Today, the country Ghana celebrates the extraordinary life and dedication of Martin Appiah-Danquah as we remember his 100th birthday. Known as Mr. Organization, Mr. Martin Appiah-Danquah’s impact on the farming community has been profound, especially during his tenure as the first General Secretary of the United Ghana Farmers’ Council from 1953 until 1966 when the United Ghana Farmer’s Council was disbanded because of its association with the CPP government after the Coup.

Born on September 21, 1924 in Nkawie, Martin Appiah-Danquah’s passion for serving farmers and advocating for their rights has been at the core of his life’s work. As the young nation of Ghana was transitioning to independence, Mr. Appiah-Danquah saw an opportunity to unite farmers under a common cause and elevate their voices in shaping agricultural policy.

In 1953, Mr. Appiah-Danquah took on the pivotal role of General Secretary of the United Ghana Farmers’ Council, a position that would define his legacy in the agricultural sector. As a farmer himself, he understand the challenges faced by farmers, he worked tirelessly to improve access to resources, training, and support for the farmers.

Under his leadership, the United Ghana Farmers’ Council became a powerful advocate for farmers’ rights, influencing key government policies and programs that aimed to uplift the farming community. Mr. Martin Appiah-Danquah’s dedication to empowering farmers and promoting sustainable agriculture laid the foundation for a more prosperous and resilient farming sector in Ghana. His advocacy for fair prices, access to modern farming techniques, and support for smallholder farmers earned him the respect and admiration of all who knew him.

Martin Appiah-Danquah’s organizational capabilities and leadership abilities caught the admiration of that he made him a Minister Plenipotentiary and Ambassador Extraordinary in 1961, a position he held till 1966 coup. After the coup Martin Appiah-Danquah continues with his farming.

Because of his widely experience in organizing farmers, Martin Appiah-Danquah was invited in 1972 by the then Head of State Col. I. K. Acheampong to reorganize the Produce Buying Agency for the Ghana Cocoa Marketing Board. A position he accepted and in essence the widely known idea of Col. Acheampong’s “Domestication, eat what you grow and grow what you eat” was his initiative. Coups and instability become another challenge that disrupt this idea as Acheampong was out stated but Martin Appiah-Danquah didn’t give up in his persuasion to get the farmers right and welfare of the farmers protected. In 1985 Martin Appiah-Danquah was once again invited by Flt. Lt Jerry John Rawlings PNDC government to organize the farmers into Ghana Farmer’s Co-operatives GHAFACO-OPS. And in 1989 Martin Appiah-Danquah oversee the successful celebration of first National Farmer’s Day, a festival to honoring the contribution of farmers to national development across the country and Farmer’s Day have now become an annual festival nationwide celebrated on the first Friday of December every year.

Martin Appiah-Danquah’s commitment to farmers was unwavering and he went beyond Ghana and traveled across Africa, engaging with farming communities, listen to their concerns, and work towards practical solutions that would improve their livelihoods. This led to the formation of the ALL AFRICAN FARMERS UNION and it’s not surprising that Ghana played the host to the first ever conference of ALL AFRICAN FARMERS UNION held in Accra on March 19th 1962. And at this conference Martin Appiah-Danquah’s organizational ability and effective leadership was recognized once again as he was appointed the Chairman of the ALL AFRICA FARMERS UNION in 1962 and subsequently appointed as the Vice Chairman of the Constitutional Committee of International Federation of Agriculture Producers in 1965.

Martin Appiah-Danquah died on 6th June 1996. Today as we memorialized Martin Appiah-Danquah’s 100th birthday which coincidentally fall of 21st September same as  Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Day, we honor his remarkable legacy as a trailblazer in the agricultural sector. His dedication to farmers and steadfast commitment to advancing the interests of the farming community have left an indelible mark on Ghana and Africa’s agricultural landscape.

Mr. Appiah-Danquah will forever be remembered for his profound impact on the lives of farmers and the enduring legacy of service, leadership, and advocacy that he leaves behind.

Martin Appiah-Danquah is a patriarch in the history of farmer’s organization and a visionary leader in Ghana’s agricultural sector.

Written by FRANKQUOPHY AWUKU-HANYABUI