[ 2017-05-24 ]

Mahama’s advice comes on the back of the launch of the Planting for Food and Job by Akufo-Addo

Learn from my mistakes; don’t buy tractors for farmers – Mahama to Akufo-Addo
Former President John Dramani Mahama has
admonished the current government not to buy
tractors for farmers in the country, saying that
was a major mistake his administration made.

He explained that as part of efforts to boost
agriculture, his administration bought tractors
for farmers across the country but realized the
equipment became dormant because the farmers
couldn’t maintain them.

According to Mahama, most of the farmers that
benefited from the tractors had no knowledge on
how to keep the equipment running.

Speaking at the African Development Bank meeting
in India, John Mahama said in order to correct
such mistakes, his government instead created the
Farmer Service Centres to provide tractor services
to farmers.

“In the twilight of my administration in
November 2016 I introduced the concept of Farmer
Service Centres. And this was based on the
experience I had that farmers do not need the
tractors and the planters, what they need is the
service of those equipment. In the past, what
we’ve done thinking we were modernizing and
mechanizing agriculture and I think that was a
shot in the dark, it was a mistake and I hope the
new government learns from our mistake.”

He said “we found out that the farmers could not
maintain the tractors. They don’t have knowledge
on how to keep those tractors running and so in
two or three years, brand new tractors we provided
were all broken down and standing on stones.”

Mr. Mahama explained that the Farmer Service
Centres were equipped with mechanized farm
equipment and a farmer in need of such service was
only to register with the centre and make a
request.

“We need to introduce specialization and
that’s why we came up with the Farmer Service
Centres where the agricultural equipment’ –the
planters, ploughs, harrows among others were
placed and all the farmer needs to do is register
and get the service. And the business of
maintaining the equipment is completely that of
the farmer centre.”

Mr. Mahama further admonished the current
government to make use of the centres in order not
to repeat some of the mistakes his administration
made.

“And so that was the experience we learnt which
we had started to implement. I hope the new
government will continue with that project so that
farmers will receive service as and when they need
it,” he added.

Planting for Food and jobs

John Mahama’s advice comes on the back of the
launch of the Planting for Food and Job by
President Akufo-Addo.

According to the government, the Planting for Food
and Jobs which is being rolled out in all 216
districts across the country, involves the supply
of farm resources such as high yielding and
improved seedlings to participating farmers.

The New Patriotic Party government also claimed
that the Planting for Food and Jobs programme
could create over 750,000 jobs.

Source - citifmonline.com

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