Japan extends $5.1 million Agricultural Grant to MOFA

Accra, May 16, GNA - The Japanese Government has extended agricultural machinery worth 5.1 million dollars to Ghana under the grant assistance for underprivileged farmers to increase food production. The machinery is comprised of 125 agricultural tractors with matching implements, 10 rice mills, 35 rice threshing machines, 35 rice reapers, two combine harvesters and 40 irrigation pumps.

A statement issued in Accra on Monday said the machinery would be sold to farmers by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) at subsidised prices. Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister of Agriculture, receiving the machinery said; "Government's expectation to meet agricultural annual average growth ra= te of a minimum of six per cent envisaged under the vision 2015 programme from th= e current rate of 5.5 per cent will not only call for the intensification of production methods, but the modernisation of agriculture." He expressed appreciation to the Japanese Government for the assistance, and called for continuous cooperation of local agents and Japanese manufacturers to ensure the efficient use of the machinery for improved output performance, while conserving soil and moisture. Mr Hisanobu Mochizuki, Acting Ambassador of Japan, presenting the machinery, said the Japanese Government decided to provide assistance to th= e Ghanaian rice sector, which was heavily dependent on imports and needed urgent attention for modernisation. He said: 93Japan is a large rice consuming country and for a long tim= e, has developed techniques and equipment for the modernisation of rice production. Japan is assisting Ghana to modernise her rice production processes."

"I believe that, through this assistance, there will be more machine= ry readily accessible and affordable to farmers, and farmer-based organisation= s will be strengthened to obtain higher leverage in the agricultural sector, he added. Mr Koichi Kito, Deputy Resident Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said 93Empowering small-scale farmers, is significantly important to achieving inclusive and equitable development of Ghana." JICA organised a training programme to update the technical skills of MOFA engineers on heavy agricultural equipment by Japanese manufacturers in March, 2011.