Former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has secured a tractor manufacturing plant deal for Ghana to boost mechanised farming in the agric sector.
The deal was a result of extensive discussions between Dr Akoto and the directors of Hattat Traktör during his recent visit to Turkey, where he delivered the keynote address as the special guest of honour at the African Investors Council Forum.
The discussions primarily focused on creating an enabling environment for the Hattat Traktör business to thrive, policy formulation aimed at protecting and supporting the industry, and issues of accessibility and affordability.
Dr Akoto was taken to the showroom of Hattat Traktör for inspection of their wide range of tractors that were on display.
“It is about time the world sees Africa as the next big destination for investment, especially in our agric sector. Available data points to the fact that Africa is going to feed the world by 2050. The directors of Hattat Traktör have this data and got even more convinced during the discussions,” he said.
The deal is also expected to benefit other countries in the West African sub-region.
“By establishing their manufacturing plant in Ghana, they will have full access to the ECOWAS community market, and that will boost agriculture in Ghana and the West African sub-region,” Dr Akoto noted in an interview.
Having concluded initial talks on the investment potentials in the West African sub-region, the directors of Hattat Traktör are preparing to visit Ghana, where they will officially present their proposal to the government for consideration.
Reports indicate that Dr Akoto has already started some preparatory works for Hattat Traktör, considering the importance he attaches to the agric sector, which he has prioritised in his campaign message as the pivot to developing other sectors of the economy when the right investments are made.
Ghana has 3.1 million professional farmers. A few of these farmers are into mechanised farming, with the majority being smallholder farmers.
According to the 2021 edition of the ‘State of Ghanaian Economy Report’ by the Institute of Statistical, Social, and Economic Research (ISSER), Ghana’s agricultural sector grew by 8.4% in 2021, the highest growth recorded in the 4th Republic.
The government of Ghana has long sought mechanisation as one of its strategic objectives. The Food and Agriculture Sector Development Policy (2007) included a cross-cutting objective to increase the area of land which is cultivated with machinery and also increase the ratio of machinery to farmers.
Should the Hattat Traktör deal be sealed and the assembling plant built in Ghana, mechanised farming will rise at an exponential rate, thereby sustaining food and nutrition security in the country and the ECOWAS community in general.
Agricultural mechanisation incorporates the design, manufacture, distribution, and usage of farm machinery to ensure timeliness and thoroughness of operations leading to the production, handling, and value addition of agricultural products with the overall aim of improving security and sustainability in food systems.