President John Dramani Mahama has confirmed that the government will launch the first 11 farmer service centres next year, a move aimed at boosting agricultural productivity and supporting year-round farming.
Speaking at the sod-cutting ceremony for the Wa Big Push Project on Tuesday, November 11, President Mahama reassured farmers of the government’s willingness to fulfil its long-standing promise.
“I wish to assure you that the promise we made for the setting up of farmer service centres is about to be fulfilled,” he said.
He revealed that 50 strategic sites across the country’s key food-growing regions have been earmarked for these centres, which, according to him, each facility will be fully equipped with tractors, combined harvesters, maize trailers, ploughs, harrows, and other essential farming machinery, ensuring farmers have the tools they need to succeed.
“The Minister of Finance is going to read his budget, and in next year’s budget, he’s made provision for the first 11 of the farmer service centres to begin. And so our farmers will get the support they need. Our farmers will finally get the support they need to increase production and improve livelihoods,” he added.
President Mahama also highlighted the government’s commitment to expanding irrigation infrastructure to enable year-round farming.
“One of the major challenges to food security in Ghana is the reliance on a single rainy season. After preparing the land and harvesting, farmers often wait six months for the next rains. This is unlike other countries where farming continues uninterrupted,” he explained.
He urged farmers to take full advantage of the new irrigation sites and machinery to cultivate crops throughout the year. “This is the kind of productive agriculture we want to encourage in Ghana: continuous, efficient, and sustainable,” he said.
Source: Citi Newsroom