President Mahama to cut sod for in-country tractor assembly plant

In a significant move to boost agricultural mechanization, President John Dramani Mahama will shortly cut the sod for the establishment of a tractor assembly plant in Ghana.

The announcement was made by Dr. Peter Otokunor Boamah, Director of the Presidential Initiatives on Agriculture, during an appearance on Ghana Television. He stated that the initiative is a core component of the government’s “Agriculture for Economic Transformation” agenda, specifically under the pillar of Agricultural Infrastructure Development.

Dr. Otokunor Boamah emphasized the critical need for local fabrication of farming equipment to reduce costs and enhance long-term productivity. “The farmer needs mechanisation to make work effective,” he said. “For starters, you give a quick fix solution… but in the long-term, you will get it cheaper if tractors and implements are fabricated here.”

He linked the project to broader governmental efforts to stabilize the macroeconomic environment, noting that the recent appreciation of the cedi has made it cheaper to import machinery, seeds, and fertilizer—a favorable condition for current investments.

The Presidential Adviser also connected the assembly plant to the government’s comprehensive “Big Push” infrastructure project. He confirmed that a significant portion of this initiative is dedicated to improving roads in farming communities, including the revival of abandoned cocoa roads and new constructions. Notably, he mentioned plans by the Minister of Roads and Highways to construct a bridge over the Afram Plains to improve connectivity and post-harvest logistics.

This development signals a strategic shift towards establishing domestic manufacturing capacity within Ghana’s agricultural sector, aiming to reduce reliance on imported machinery and create a more sustainable and cost-effective framework for farmers.