Appearing before the Government Assurance Committee on Thursday, Mr. Opoku described the initiative as "the most important part of the Feed Ghana program" currently being implemented.

Addressing Smallholder Farmers' Needs

The Minister emphasized that the centers are crucial for supporting Ghana's agricultural sector, where 80% of farmers are smallholder families who produce primarily to feed their households.

"If you want to produce sufficiently, we must encourage commercial farming, and to do that, we have to introduce mechanization into agriculture," Mr. Opoku stated.

He noted that smallholder farmers lack the capacity to purchase or even rent agricultural equipment on their own, making government intervention essential.

Progress and Timeline

According to the Minister, contractors are currently on site executing the project. He personally visited the Afram Plains last week to inspect progress and expressed satisfaction with the work being done.

"It is believed that if we are unable to complete a number of them by December, early 2027, some of them will be operationalized from the reports we have seen," Mr. Opoku told the committee.

Equipment Procurement

The government has finalized plans to acquire a significant amount of agricultural machinery. The procurement process has advanced to the contract signing stage, which will trigger the supply of equipment.

Mr. Opoku revealed that the government has settled on 1,840 pieces of equipment, describing it as "the highest ever received in this country."

The first phase will include:

• More than 400 tractors (75-90 horsepower)
• Combined harvesters for rice
• Various other mechanization equipment
  
  

The President personally inspected the equipment in Belarus, demonstrating the administration's commitment to the initiative.

Comprehensive Service Centers

Each district will have a Farmer Service Center with 10 acres of land allocated. Two acres will be used for the facility itself, while the remaining eight acres will be reserved for private investors interested in setting up processing plants nearby.

"The center is not only about mechanization. We are also looking at input distribution," the Minister explained.

Farmers will have access to milling facilities, storage, and extension services at the centers.

Fertilizer Distribution

The government has distributed fertilizer to all agricultural constituencies, with each constituency receiving 1,500 bags. The Minister assured that all constituencies would receive their allocation by the end of next week.

Additionally, recognizing that smallholder farmers were neglected in previous distribution programs, the government has increased support to the Peasant Farmers Association from 15,000 bags last year to 40,000 bags this year.

School farms, churches, faith-based organizations, and state agencies registered with the ministry are also receiving inputs.

Farmer Registration and Access

Once the centers are established, they will replace current distribution channels. The centers will maintain a digital database where every farmer will be registered with details of their farm size.

"Whether you have money or not, even if you don't have the money, you can enjoy the services of the center and then when you have it, you go and pay," Mr. Opoku explained, emphasizing the accessibility of the services.

He encouraged every farmer in the country to register with the centers, noting that registration would facilitate easier access to services and inputs.

The Farmer Service Centers represent a comprehensive approach to agricultural development, combining mechanization, input distribution, processing facilities, and extension services to support Ghana's farming communities.