John Dumelo, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, cuts the ribbon
John Dumelo, the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, has opened an Agricultural Mechanisation Centre for Smallholder Farmers in the Eastern Region, which he described as a major initiative that will help improve productivity, reduce delays in farming operations, and enhance food security in Ghana.
During his speech, Dumelo spoke about how implementing Mechanisation would change the way smallholder farmers farm.
He stated that by bringing in compact tractors, they would be able to fill a void that currently exists between hand-held farming tools and larger industrial farming equipment that are not affordable or practical to use.
According to Dumelo, “These tractors are precision pieces of equipment that can be used with a variety of soil types or applications with the amount of power from the engine, which will help decrease the amount of hard labour required to produce a crop.”
“He went on to say that the Mechanisation Centre would serve as both an equipment service centre and a location to provide spare parts, as well as being used as a training facility for individuals who want to learn how to operate the equipment, repair the equipment or start a business in this field, especially through collaborations with local vocational training centres such as Abetifi Technical Institute.”
John Dumelo insists on using mechanisation to change the face of smallholder agriculture. Introducing compact tractors provides farmers with a way to bridge the gap between traditional hand tools and large industrial machines that most farmers cannot afford or utilise.
Dumelo added that mechanisation does not eliminate farmers, but rather provides them with increased capacity to produce more crops, make more money from their produce, and view their farms as a modern, technology supported enterprise.
He also urged local governments to promote the fair allocation of compact tractors and to be open and accountable in their management so that farms in the outlying areas benefit from having access to compact tractors.
After the Deputy Minister’s address, Nana Antwi Darkwa, Chief Executive Officer of Hawkward Agricultural Equipment and Mechanisation Centre, spoke to attendees, outlining the centre’s role in advancing Ghana’s agricultural development.
According to Darkwa, mechanisation consists not only of providing machinery but also establishing a formalised, structured public service system which allows the efficient and competitive production of agricultural products by Primary Producers. He comments that: “Most small market producers do not require ownership of equipment, but rather have access to reliable, timely and, affordable mechanisation services.”
He noted that there are currently 11 mechanisation centres being established by the Government throughout the country, and called for public sector support for private sector partnerships, training of young agricultural technicians, and creating sustainable financing models to assist service providers.
Speaking on behalf of Captain Tractor, company representatives expressed confidence in Ghana’s agricultural potential and pledged long term partnership.
They noted that while Africa has vast arable land and favourable climatic conditions, productivity per hectare remains low largely due to limited mechanisation. Comparing Africa’s tractor density to India’s, the company indicated that increasing access to tractors could significantly transform agricultural output across the continent.
Referencing Ghana’s founding president, Kwame Nkrumah, the representatives said Ghana’s political stability provides a solid foundation for economic growth driven by agriculture.
They added that Ghana currently cultivates only a portion of its available arable land, much of it manually, and that mechanisation is key to unlocking the country’s full agricultural potential
Source:
www.ghanaweb.com
