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Zeqblog Blog of Tuesday, 24 December 2024
Source: Okine Isaac
President-elect John Mahama has committed to address the serious issues confronting farmers across Ghana, drawing on his personal experiences on his farm in the Savannah region.
During a visit to his farm, Mahama described his idea for overcoming systemic hurdles to agricultural productivity, including as poor irrigation, limited availability to machinery spare parts, and insufficient support services.
“One of the major issues we had this year was the drought. After planting, the rains ceased, and the crops, maize and soybean, struggled to take root. That is why we are shifting to irrigation. We’ve drilled five boreholes, and by next year, we’ll have a pivot system to cultivate two crops rather than one.”
He underlined the importance of modern agriculture practices and strong support systems.
“We must standardize equipment and ensure that everyone selling agricultural machinery in Ghana offers after-sales servicing. One of my combine harvesters is currently down, and I can’t obtain replacement parts locally. “If we wait for parts from abroad, bushfires will destroy our crops,” he bemoaned.
Mahama proposed creating farmer service centers to handle machinery operations and repairs, allowing farmers to concentrate on farming.
“Farmers should concentrate on farming.” My headache today should not be from repairing a harvester. “My job is to obtain seeds, fertilizers, and grow crops,” he said.
“Agriculture is more than just an economic activity; it is the foundation of our nation. “As president, I will ensure that farmers have the tools, infrastructure, and support they require to thrive,” he said.
