By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Bolgatanga, July 22, GNA – Dr Charles Nyaaba, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Upper East Farmers’ Cooperative Credit Union, has called on the Government to partner the private sector in the establishment and operationalisation of the Farmer Service Centres initiative.
Such a move, the agriculture expert said, would significantly improve farmers’ access to mechanisation, farm inputs, extension services and proper management and maintenance of the facilities to achieve maximum and lasting impact to transform the agriculture sector.
He said entrusting the operation of the centres to private businesses rather than government institutions would ensure efficiency, sustainability and timely delivery of services to farmers.
Dr Nyaaba, who is also a former Executive Director of the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Bolgatanga.
He explained that although the establishment of Farmer Service Centres was captured in the agricultural policy proposals submitted to political parties, including the current government before the 2024 elections, the initiative was yet to be implemented.
“One of the interventions I proposed is the establishment of Farmer Service Centres, but these centres should be handed over to the private sector to manage. Government alone cannot efficiently run them,” he said.
According to him, the centres would provide farmers with access to mechanisation services, including tractors, planters and harvesters, while also serving as one-stop centres for certified seeds, fertilisers, agrochemicals and other essential agricultural inputs.
Dr Nyaaba noted that previous government-operated mechanisation centres failed largely because of poor management and inadequate maintenance of equipment.
“Managing tractors is a specialised business. If government acquires the equipment and manages it directly, maintenance becomes a challenge and political interference may also affect access to the services,” he said.
He explained that private operators already possessed the technical expertise and business experience to manage agricultural equipment and input supply efficiently.
“There are people already in the tractor business. Others are already selling fertilisers, seeds and agrochemicals. That is their business and they know how to sustain it,” he said.
Dr Nyaaba proposed that government should invest in establishing the centres and subsidise the cost of services, while allowing private operators to manage daily operations.
“Government can create the enabling environment and absorb part of the cost so that farmers receive services at affordable rates, while the private sector ensures efficiency and sustainability,” he said.
He said such an arrangement would guarantee timely access to mechanisation services and quality farm inputs, improve productivity and reduce the burden on government.
Dr Nyaaba reiterated the need for government to complement the initiative with investments in irrigation, feeder roads, agro-processing and market access to accelerate agricultural transformation.
He also appealed to government to implement other agricultural policy proposals, including strengthening youth participation in agribusiness and improving access to finance for women farmers.
GNA
Edited by Caesar Abagali/Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Email: [email protected]