Farmer service centres to drive agric mechanisation next year

By Wisdom JONNY-NUEKPE

In line with the vision of streamlining agricultural activities for greater productivity and better returns on investment, government has announced that it will establish Farmer Service Centres in fifty key agriculture districts to drive sector mechanisation.

The plan, announced by Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson in the 2026 national budget, mentioned that government will provide agriculture machinery for 50 districts with some 4,400 machines and farm implements.

This move is expected to create a one-stop hub for affordable agricultural services, machinery, equipment and new technologies.

The initiative will as well provide technical and financial support for farmers to promote large-scale farming and increase yield and agro-processing.

In addition, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) will strengthen technical capacities of machinery operators in effective management, maintenance and operating agricultural machinery at all the centres.

Giving a breakdown of the 4,400 farm machines, Dr Forson said they include 660 tractors, 300 tractor trailers; 200 minitractors; 200 minitractor trailers; 200 minitractor tillers; 200 minitractor cultivators; 200 minitractor ploughs, 200 minitractor harrows; 200 minitractor cutter bars; 200 minitractor mowers; 460 3-disc ploughs; 200 4-disc ploughs.

The rest are 330 16-disc harrows; 100 1000kg mineral fertiliser spreaders; 100 4-row precision seed drills; 100 6-row precision seed drills; 100 32-row pneumatic seed drills; 300 800-litre boom sprayers; 50 combine harvesters; 50 maize headers for combine harvesters; and 25 soy headers for combine harvesters.

Farmer service centres are important because they provide farmers with a single point of access to essential resources – including high-quality inputs, mechanised farming tools, financial services and market linkages.

This comprehensive support helps to increase productivity, improve incomes and enhance the overall sustainability of agriculture by empowering farmers with tools and knowledge they need to move from small-scale to more commercial farming.

They are crucial for modernising farming, ensuring food security and contributing to the economic development of rural communities.

Indeed, President John Mahama reiterated the assurance of establishing these service centres in 2026 when he addressed dignitaries at the sod-cutting ceremony for the ‘Big Push’ project at Wa on November 11.

He reassured farmers that government is committed to fulfilling its longstanding promise of siting these centres in the country’s key food production regions.

“Each facility will be fully equipped with tractors, combine harvesters, maize trailers, ploughs, harrows and other essential farming machinery to ensure farmers have the tools necessary for increased productivity” the president said.

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