The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) has presented a number of agricultural equipment to the government, in support of rice production in the Central Region.
The machines included two tractors and accessories, a combine harvester, laser land leveler, seed drill/ no-till seed planter, 18 power tillers and accessories, two transplanters and 10 rice threshers.
The rest were 10 rice reaper binder combine harvesters, 18 rice winnowers, 30 water pumps, 18 grain moisture meters and 16 knapsack sprayers/ motorized mist blowers
Five districts of the Central Region namely; Gomoa East, Assin Fosu, Assin North, Assin South and Twifo Att-Mokwa were currently benefitting from the project.
Okyereko in the Gomoa East District has been designed for rice seed production whereas the remaining four districts produce paddy rice.
It formed part of a $8 million agreement signed between the South Korea and the Ghana towards improving capacity and rice seed development, provision of agricultural machinery and equipment, and the construction of a rice milling plant and agricultural equipment storage facility.
Presenting the equipment, the Senior Deputy Director of KOICA, Mr Seungmin Oh explained that the project was to improve rice value chain in the Central Region following a bilateral cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Korea and the Government of Ghana.
He noted that the project was funded by Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) and implemented in partnership with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA)
“Provision of the agricultural equipment, which is the key component of the rice value chain project, is important because it will promote government’s mechanisation drive with a manual and rudimentary rice farming,” he said.
Mr Oh noted that, the machines would serve as valuable assets to beneficiary farmers in boosting rice production with potential to positively impact lives and livelihood of the farmers at the microeconomic level.
That, he said, would have a multiplier effect and a positive impact on the economy, considering the value of enhanced rice production and productivity.
“Apart from the aforementioned machines, a total of 8MT of certified seeds would be distributed, with each beneficiary farmer getting 15.5kg of seeds at no cost,” he said.
He said KOICA was fully committed to the successful implementation of all components under the project, and expressed optimism that the commercial rice milling factory at Assin Akropong would be handed over soon.
The Country Director, United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), one of the implementing partners, Madam Ifeoma Esther Charles-Monwuba, pledged the support of the her organisation towards realising the objective set out in the MoU, leading to the funding of the project by KOICA.
The Chief Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Mr Patrick Ankobea, who received the keys to the equipment on behalf of the government lauded KOICA and UNOPS for supporting Ghana in the Agricultural sector.
BY DAVID O. YARBOI-TETTEH, OKYEREKO
