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Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto in a handshake with Mr Blairo Maggi (right)
Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto in a handshake with Mr Blairo Maggi (right)

Brazil to supply machinery to smallholder farmers

Brazil has agreed to supply agricultural machinery worth $33 million to support farmers in Ghana, including those engaged in the government’s flagship agricultural programme ‘Planting for Food and Jobs.’

It is the second tranche of a $96-million deal under which the Brazilian government supplies tractors to Ghana under a South-South cooperation, a statement from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has said.

This was after a fruitful discussion between the Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, and his Brazilian counterpart, Mr Blairo Maggi, in Brasilia last Thursday.

After the discussions, Brazil accented to Ghana’s decision to replace the tractor programme with the supply of logistics that will benefit more farmers, particularly those who do not have the means to purchase tractors and other heavy duty machines for their farm activities.

Details

The statement said besides the supply of basic farm machinery and implements to smallholder farmers, the funding would also support field preparation, planting, fertilisers and post-harvest management.

Part of the funds would also go to support the implementation of the government’s ‘One Village, One Dam Policy’, it added.

The discussion between the two ministers also touched on the state of the cocoa industry in the two countries and areas of possible collaboration to promote value addition in the chocolate sector.

Transformation

The statement said Dr Akoto reiterated the government’s determination to transform the agricultural sector.

He indicated that the objective required the application of technology to benefit as many farmers as possible in an effort to improve their production and incomes while raising farm output to an unprecedented level in the history of Ghana's agricultural sector.

The minister expressed gratitude to his Brazilian counterpart for agreeing to release the funds and pledged that the government would judiciously utilise the facility for the benefit of farmers.

Discussion with manufacturers

According to the statement, Dr Akoto also held discussions with key manufacturers and major suppliers of farming equipment in Sao Paulo, the industrial hub of the South American country.

He was accompanied on the visit by the acting Director of Agricultural Engineering Services Division of MoFA as well as agents of the manufacturers in Ghana.

Dr Akoto emphasised that the government's policy was geared towards the benefit of smallholder farmers, hence the decision to review the tractor programme.

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