A review of agricultural mechanization policies and ordinances in Ghana conducted by the Science and Technology Policy Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-STEPRI) has recommended the nurturing of a policy environment that encourages private-sector-led development of agricultural mechanization.

It noted public-private partnerships was yet to be strengthened to deliver the needed agricultural mechanization support and private financing was based on market rates.

Presenting the findings of the analysis at a policy dialogue in Accra, a Research Scientist, Dr Adams Abdulai, said the nature and extent of state involvement should be well structured since mechanization was an important complement to agriculture intensification and reduced drudgery and post-harvest grain losses.

“Specific agricultural mechanization policy is needed for effective modernization and commercialization of agriculture. Extend the mechanization view to include small farm implements that meet the expectations of smallholder farmers and promote their structural inclusion,” he said.

“Increase investments/budgetary allocations for post-production infrastructure and ensure mainstreaming at the various metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs),” Dr Abdulai added.

The Director at the CSIR-STEPRI, Dr Wilhelmina Quaye, said access to appropriate support services for mechanization is a critical developmental issue in agricultural sector. Therefore, she said government’s commitment to transform the sector to catalyze industrial transformation could not be achieved without mechanization.

“There cannot be any modernization of the agricultural sector without critical attention to mechanization. There is the need to change the narrative that agricultural production in Ghana is predominantly done by smallholders using traditional methods of farming,” she said.

The Science and Technology Policy Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-STEPRI), under the Africa Research in Sustainable Intensification for the Next Generation (Africa RISING) project conducted the study to investigate the extent to which mechanisation is promoted and implemented in agricultural development ordinances and policies in Ghana at the community, district, and national levels.

According to the review, government’s involvement in agricultural mechanisation is seen in the high subsidies provided for farm machinery, especially tractors. The demand among smallholder Ghanaian farmers for mechanised farming is growing in Ghana and labour constraints imposed by increasing farm sizes and existing labour is playing a catalytic role in the drive towards agricultural mechanisation. Also, the emergence of rental services has made agricultural mechanization common among smallholder farmers, especially in the northern cereal-producing areas of Ghana.

The review identified that mechanization policies have largely focused on tractor services at the expense of small farm implements. Post-production infrastructure (processing) has received little attention in the available policies and programs implemented. Also, there is poor implementation of target credit support schemes on mechanization and although policies are generally gender neutral, in terms of implementation, males dominate the mechanisation space in relation to access and ownership.

Some recommendations are made by the review. These includes collaboration with the private sector to build capacity, and companies to produce and/or assemble appropriate agricultural machinery, tools and equipment locally; and promote small-scale multipurpose machinery along the value chain, including farm-level storage facilities, appropriate agro-processing machinery/equipment and intermediate means of transport.

“Improve mechanization in animal husbandry especially, intensify the use of animal traction through the establishment of animal traction centres.”

“Promote local assemblage of tractors and encourage adaptation and local fabrication of processing equipment and develop human capacity in agricultural machinery management, operations and maintenance with the public and private sectors,” it stated.