Ishmael Mensah Blog of Tuesday, 24 December 2024
Source: Ishmael Mensah
Drawing on his own experience on his farm in the Savannah region, President-elect John Mahama has promised to solve the challenges faced by farmers throughout Ghana.
Mahama presented his plan to address the structural problems that impede agricultural output during his tour, such as inadequate irrigation, difficult access to machine spare parts, and insufficient support services.
"The drought was one of the biggest issues we had this year," he stated.
After we planted, the rains ceased, and the soybean and maize crops had a hard time taking root.
"We're switching to irrigation for this reason. In order to guarantee that we can grow two harvests annually rather than just one, we have already bored five boreholes and will implement a pivot system by the following year.
Mahama emphasized the necessity of contemporary agriculture methods and infrastructure.
"We must standardize machinery and make sure that anyone in Ghana who sells agricultural equipment provides after-sales services."
See also: President-elect Mahama says, "Farming is my life and my retirement plan."
"I can't buy the components locally, and one of my combine harvesters is currently broken. Bushfires would ruin the crops if we wait for parts to arrive from overseas," he bemoaned.
Mahama advocated for the creation of farmer service centers and suggested a system in which specialist organizations manage the maintenance and repairs of machines.
"Farmers ought to concentrate on farming." Fixing a harvester shouldn't be the source of my headache today. It's my responsibility to raise crops and buy seeds and fertilizer," he underlined.
Mahama reflected on the wider issues that farmers confront and reaffirmed his commitment to making agriculture more profitable and sustainable.
"Agriculture is the foundation of our country and not just a business. In my capacity as president, I will make sure that farmers have the resources, infrastructure, and assistance they require to prosper.