Mechanised Farming Will Enhance Farmers’ Productivity – John Dumelo

John Dumelo (in smock) and others cutting the tape to open the centre

 

The Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, John Dumelo, says mechanised farming is designed to enhance productivity, reduce labour constraints, and enable farmers to expand their operations rather than driving them from commercial farming.

Addressing farmers and traditional leaders  at  the launch of Captain Tractors and  a new agriculture mechanisation centre at Nkawkaw in the Eastern Region,  Mr. Dumelo said the introduction of the tractors were strategic intervention to bridge the mechanisation gap for smallholder farmers.

He said the tractors represent precision and accessibility, adding that their compact design would allow them to move easily across diverse terrains while delivering the horsepower required to transform farm operations.

He noted that the initiative would reduce farmers’ reliance on “back breaking manual labour”, enhance timely farm operations, and ensure planting and harvesting are done appropriately.

The Deputy Minister also described the mechanisation centre as the most critical component of the initiative, serving as a hub for spare parts and maintenance of the tractors.

“A tractor without a service centre is merely a ticking clock. This centre will serve as a sanctuary for maintenance, a classroom. We aren’t just giving farmers keys, we are building an ecosystem of operators, technicians and entrepreneurs,” he stated.

“Mechanisation is not about replacing the farmer. It is about empowering the farmer to do more and more and live better,” he said.

Eastern Regional Director of Agriculture, Samuel Barima Offiso, for his part, said agricultural mechanisation is essential to help improve productivity and income of farmers, while serving as a training and capacity-building centre for farmers and machine operators.

Chief Executive Officer of Hawkrad Agric and Mechanisation Services, Nana Antwi Darkwah, urged farmers to consider mechanisation as a public service system rather than  the provision of machines, noting that  smallholder farmers do not necessarily need to own machinery but require reliable and affordable services.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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