Accra, May 17, GNA - The Ministry of Food and Agriculture is to take delivery of a fleet of 125 tractors as part of a national programme to support the development of small farm agriculture.

The "New Holland TD80" straddle mount tractors would be delivered to the government at a ceremony to be held at the premises of the Agricultural Engineering Services Directory of Ghana's Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), according to a statement issued in Accra on Tuesday.

Sirius Corporation, a world leading trading company, was tasked by the Government of Japan with sourcing the equipment for this donation as part of an international aid project.

The statement said CFAO Equipment, New Holland's official distributor in Ghana, would provide technical and service support for these units.

The statement said the TD80 tractors, built at New Holland's Turkish plant in Ankara, were destined to support the development of small farming agriculture as part of MOFA's mission to promote sustainable agriculture through research and technology development as well as other essential support services to farmers.

"This includes the creation of District Mechanization Centres and supply of machinery and implements to support the introduction of mechanized agriculture into the country's farming practices."

Diego H. de la Calle, New Holland Agriculture's Africa Business Director, expressed satisfaction with the positive outcome of the international tender.

The statement said the 80 hp New Holland TD80 straddle mounted tractors were built with heavy-duty components.

"They are engineered to be a powerful and faithful working partner with a long operating life and high uptime in the toughest conditions."

It said CFAO Equipment, in addition to supporting the units, will deliver technical and operator training to ensure that the farmers who would receive these tractors could make the most of their equipment, fulfilling the objectives of MOFA's development program.