FARM drone technology was last week introduced in the Volta Region.
This is the brainchild of fertiliser dealers, Agripower Ghana Limited, which has deployed 10 of the flying machines in the region, to assist farmers in spraying their farms with fertilisers and insecticides, and also in the areas of mapping, monitoring and fumigation of farms.
About 500,000 farmers in the region are expected to benefit from the free services of the drones, said Mr Samuel Seidu, managing director of the company.
He said that with the drones, labour on the farms and its costs would be reduced drastically with guaranteed high yields.
Mr Seidu said that the move by Agripower, was in support of government’s laudable ‘Planting for food and jobs’ programme, adding that the drone services would remain free of charge for farmers, who patronised the company fertiliser, known as ‘Eduane Pa.’
He told the Ghanaian Times that “with the drones, fertiliser application on the farms will also be more accurate and efficient.”
According to Mr Seidu, a farm drone, which could fly up to 200 metres high at a speed of eight metres per second could finish spraying a 100-acre farm in an hour.
He said the drones were handy on cocoa, cereal, cashew and maize plantations and other agricultural estates as well.
Scores of farmers from various parts of the region attended the inaugural ceremony at the Ho Municipal Assembly Hall, and so far, 400 of them have registered for the services of the drones.
The Ho Municipal Chief Executive, Mr John Nelson Akorli, lauded the Agripower Ghana Limited, for the innovation, saying the move was yet another testimony of the private sector’s confidence in the ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’.
FROM ALBERTO MARIO NORETTI, HO
