The Israeli Embassy in collaboration with Stratcomm Africa awarded Mr Prince Pius Nutsugah of the Coologi Team with the topmost award package out of 23 applicants and nine short listed finalists on Tuesday in Accra.

The award package included a four-days trip to Israel to join in seminars and receive training in best practices in the agricultural and floriculture industry which would help him develop his innovation and build partnerships and sponsorships to help make his vision a reality.

The Israeli Green Innovation Award is a new scheme introduced at this year's Flower Show to honour individuals and organisations that introduce innovative ideas related to the growth of the floriculture industry in the country.

This year's flower show was held under the theme: "Be the Change".

Madam Shini Cooper- Zubida, Israeli Ambassador to Ghana, said dreams and visions are important in realising a change but change would only be realized when an action is taken to bring the dream into reality.

She said the jury sought for a prototype, an innovation which was fresh and related to the development of the agricultural and floriculture industry.

 "Ghanaians have all what it takes to get it right, from my heart Ghana is a beautiful place," Madam Cooper- Zubida said.

She said the Embassy in Ghana is equally committed to contribute to the realisation of Ghana's developmental agenda which include the "Planting for foods and Jobs".

The scheme will be used to encourage Ghanaians to come up with innovations, she said, and commended Stratcomm Africa for their contribution to the growth of the industry.

Madam Esther Cobbah, Chief Executive Officer of Stratcomm Africa, expressed her joy at the success of this year's event and used the opportunity to thank exhibitors, sponsors and other partner institutions especially the Israeli Embassy for being part of the 7th Ghana Garden and Flower Show.

She also applauded the Netherland Embassy for their participation as well adding that "in Holland all the flower growers have clubs who come together on a monthly basis to discuss and see the growth of the floriculture industry in the county".

She said for the industry in Ghana to grow it is imperative that all stakeholders including flower growers come together to form a strong team to build a bigger and successful industry.

She said this year's event brought on board a fashion show dubbed: "The Big Garden Extravaganza ", and this showcased unique fashion trends and clothing made out of plastic wastes such as pure water rubbers, unique beautiful hair style and makeups which suited the African climate and promised that next year's edition would be bigger.

She said "people don't die by floods but our littering and wrong disposal of refuse kills and destroys these precious lives and properties each year", hence the need to cultivate good practices of refuse disposal.

Madam Arafua Aning, a member of the Ghana Garden and Flower Movement, said Ghana was filled with many good things but many looked unto far lands in search of greener pastures whiles the grass was greener here.

She said if somebody did it in those places such as Europe and Americas then we can do it here if we gave ourselves to the task.

She said the Movement is ready to partner with flower growers and other institutions to have large farms which would lead to the creation of many jobs and bring joy to the citizenry.

Mr Prince Pius Nutsugah, the first ever winner of the Israeli Green Innovation awards, said the competition was filled with mixed feeling in that all nine finalists had good and competitive ideas but his initiative which sort to save post-harvest loses by building storage facility made of bricks, touch roof, with solar and refrigeration emerged out as the best.

He congratulated Atuyere Isaac Seidu and Prince Kwame Agbata his 1st and 2nd runner up in the competition adding that he looks forward to the trip and would make Ghana proud.

The organisers of the event also gave awards to Mrs Theodora Lamptey, Logos Rhema Church; Ridge Church, Presbyterian Church Asylum-down, TV3, Ghana Journalist Association (GJA), Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Kempinski Hotel, Inter-plast and others for their diverse contribution to sanitation and gardening in the country.

The organisers together with stakeholders also presented eight dustbins to the Afua Sutherland Children's Park to make the place a greener, cleaner, healthier, wealthier and beautiful place for all.