The machinery will be used for land preparation, planting, harvesting and processing of produce as part of efforts to mechanise agriculture in the country for increased production.
President Akufo-Addo gave the assurance at the 34th National Farmers’ Day celebration.
60-year-old man wins National Best Farmer
James Obeng Boateng, a 60-year-old farmer from Nkoranza in the Brong Ahafo Region, was crowned the National Best Farmer for 2018.
GH?480,000 prize donated by ADB
He was decorated by the President, and for his prize, Obeng Boateng was presented with a cheque for GH?480,000, being sponsorship package from the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
With his farms spreading across the Brong Ahafo Region, he cultivates several hundreds of acres of roots and tubers, maize, cocoa, plantain and vegetables, and also rears goats, sheep and poultry, amongst others.
58-year-old woman is first runner-up
Madam Charity Akotia, a 58-year-old farmer from the Central Region, emerged the first runner-up, and took a Turbo tractor as her prize.
She owns a 30-acre cocoa farm, 31-acre coconut farm and a total of 35 acres of plantain, cocoyam, sugarcane, cassava and vegetables farm.
60-year-old man is second runner-up
Alex Frempong Tenkorang, a 60-year-old farmer from Afram Plains, was the second runner-up, and received a double-cabin pick-up from Stanbic Bank, amongst other packages.
72 Farmers rewarded
In all, a total of 72 farmers were rewarded, including Regional Best Farmers for each of the 10 regions, the National Best Farmer for various categories, including cocoa, cashew, livestock, fish processor, aquaculture, marine, inland, and national best youth farmer.
80 New warehouses each with 1,000 metric tonnes capacity
President Akufo-Addo said government was also constructing 80 new warehouses across the country, each with a capacity of 1,000 metric tonnes to help store the anticipated high yields as a result of heavy investment in agriculture this year.
Construction and rehabilitation of various dams and dugouts
He also assured that the construction and rehabilitation of various dams and dugouts would continue next year to ensure all-year-round agricultural production, adding that 100 acres of land would be put under irrigation as a result of the programme.
President Akufo-Addo also spoke about the fisheries sector, saying the ‘Aquaculture for Food and Jobs’ programme would be implemented next year to complement the ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ programme to improve the fishing industry in the country.
He said government’s interventions so far showed that it was on course to realising its vision for the agricultural sector and helping the country beyond aid.
Govt forfeits share of cocoa FOB price
Government, according to President Akufo-Addo, has forfeited government’s share of the FOB price as part of efforts to protect cocoa farmers from world market shocks, and introduced, this year, the Planting for Export and Rural Development (PERD) as a module under the PFJ, and will, next year, introduce the Rearing for Food and Jobs as another module of PFJ in 2019.
2,700 Agric Extension Officers
The President also indicated that 2,700 Agric Extension Officers have been recruited, 8,000 graduates recruited for the Feed Ghana module of the NaBCo programme, with 216 pick-up vehicles and 3,000 motorbikes distributed to extension officers and District Directors of Agriculture.
Construction of feeder roads in food-producing areas
He added that government was constructing feeder roads to food-producing areas, based on consultations between the Minister for Roads and Highways and the Minister for Agriculture, and is also upgrading the inspection facility at the Kotoka International Airport and other exit points to facilitate inspection procedures in relation to horticultural export commodities.
Aquaculture for Food and Jobs
With the implementation of the ‘Aquaculture for Food and Jobs’ (AFJ) programme in 2019 to complement the ongoing ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ (PFJ) initiative, the President noted that three public hatcheries at Ashaiman, Kona Odumase and Vea have been rehabilitated to increase fingerling production to meet the demand of fish farmers.
He explained that evidence abounds that the agricultural sector is receiving unprecedented support through massive investment aimed at transforming and modernising the sector.
According to President Akufo-Addo, since assuming office, his government has left no one in doubt about the importance of agriculture as one of the cogs for accelerating economic growth.
“It is also important to put on record that Ghana’s agriculture was in a state of decline when I became President of the Republic. Prior to 2017, the performance of the sector had been erratic, recording a growth rate of 0.8% in 2011, one of the lowest in modern times,” he said.
The President noted that this growth pattern was a reflection of a lack of prioritisation and support for the agricultural sector by the previous government, with the neglect of agriculture finding expression in low farm yields, high post-harvest losses, low level of mechanisation, poorly motivated and low numbers of extension officers, largely unavailable marketing infrastructure, weak linkages to other sectors, and a general lack of access to agric financing.
Having effectively diagnosed the problems of the sector, President Akufo-Addo noted that the launch of the ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ (PFJ) programme in April 2017 strongly signalled government’s determination to reverse the flagging fortunes of the agricultural sector.
“Consequently, ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ focused on improving the yields of farmers, guaranteeing access to markets, reducing post-harvest losses and enhancing the availability of extension services. Nearly two years into its implementation, I can confidently report that very positive results have been achieved,” he added.
“In particular, the distribution of farm inputs to farmers, a major component of the programme, has worked very well. The provision of improved seeds and subsidised fertiliser has largely accounted for high farm yields and impressive growth of the agriculture sector of 8.4% at the end of 2017, the first pilot year of the PFJ,” he added.
With 577,000 farmers signing onto the programme in 2018, he stated that the projections are looking even much better with higher anticipated levels of success, given the intervention and expansion made in the programme.
(Selorm) | 
(Nana Kwesi)