President-elect John Mahama has pledged to tackle the pressing challenges faced by farmers across Ghana, drawing from his own experiences on his farm in the Savannah region.

During a visit to his farm, Mahama outlined his vision to address systemic barriers to agricultural productivity, including inadequate irrigation, limited access to machinery spare parts, and insufficient support services. “One of the major problems we faced this year was the drought.

The rains stopped after we planted, and after germination, the crops—maize and soybean—struggled to take root. That’s why we’re transitioning to irrigation. We’ve drilled five boreholes, and by next year, we’ll install a pivot system to grow two crops a year instead of one.” He emphasized the need for modern agricultural practices and reliable support systems. “We must standardize equipment and ensure anyone selling agricultural machinery in Ghana provides after-sales services.

Right now, one of my combine harvesters is down, and I can’t find the parts locally. If we wait for parts from abroad, bushfires will destroy the crops,” he lamented. Mahama proposed the establishment of farmer service centers to handle machinery operations and repairs, allowing farmers to focus on farming. “Farmers should focus on farming. My headache today shouldn’t be about fixing a harvester. My job is to procure seeds, fertilizers, and grow crops,” he stressed. “Agriculture is not just an economic activity; it’s the backbone of our nation.

As president, I will ensure that farmers have the tools, infrastructure, and support they need to thrive,” he added.

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Source: adomonline.com