Japan has handed over agricultural machinery worth GH¢9.7 million to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture under the Grant Assistance to increase food production in the country.
The donated machinery, which comprises 77 agricultural tractors with matching implements, 49 power tillers, 20 rice threshers, 11 rice reapers and six rice mills, is to be distributed among farmers on hire purchase to boost rice production and make the country less dependent on rice importation.
Mr Shigeru Umetsu, the Deputy Chief of Mission Counselor, Japan Embassy, said the agricultural machinery procured under the Japan Government is to help revamp the rice sector in the country as well as build solid relations between the two countries.
He said this would support efforts by Ghana's government to achieve poverty reduction and accelerate growth through modernization of agriculture.
Mr Shigeru said among the wide variety of agricultural products produced in the country, rice requires urgent attention to modernize its production as illustrated in Ghana’s Shared Growth and Development Agenda.
He noted that, in spite of the importance of rice as a staple food, the rice industry in the country heavily depends on imports, while consumption of rice is increasing given the sharp rise of the population and urbanization.`
This, therefore, makes the strengthening of domestic rice production and distribution system urgent and the Japanese Government is willing to give the needed assistance to refurbish the sector to enhance the relationship between the two countries.
Mr Fiifi Kwetey, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, thanked the Japanese government for the grant assistance, adding that, the assistance is timely, as the equipment would enhance the agricultural transformation agenda of farmers.
Mr Kwetey said the agricultural machinery would make it possible for small holder farmers to achieve timely field cultivation, high level of field bed preparation, planting and harvesting, which are important in rice production, as they have been taken through the necessary training.
He said the grant assistance facility extended to Ghana by the Japan government would allow tractor owners and operators to realize how economical it is to use such machines on small and large land capacities.
He said the local agents for these machines are poised and organized to render satisfactory after sales services on the machines throughout the target regions and appealed to beneficiaries to honor their installment payments on time.
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