Mabang: Mr Frank Yeboah, the Member of Parliament for Atwima Nwabiagya North, has extended support to six rice farmer groups within his constituency by providing them with mechanised rice threshers valued at GHS 100,000.00. This initiative aims to enhance harvesting efficiency and reduce post-harvest losses, marking a significant step towards improving agricultural productivity in the region.
According to Ghana News Agency, the threshers were officially handed over to the beneficiary farmer groups at a ceremony held at Mabang School Park. The event, themed 'Mechanizing Our Harvest, Securing Our Future: Empowering Rice Farmer Groups for Food Security and Prosperity,' emphasized the importance of mechanization in agriculture. The beneficiary groups hailed from Mfensi, Amakye Bare, Abira Zone, Barekese Zone, Akropong Zone, and Wurapong Zone.
Speaking at the ceremony, Mr Yeboah highlighted the critical role agriculture plays in the local economy, noting that the reliance on manual harvesting methods had limited the productivity of rice farmers in Atwima Nwabiagya North. He explained that the provision of these threshers was part of his broader commitment to supporting agriculture in the constituency, addressing concerns raised by farmers during his campaign.
Mr Yeboah urged the farmer groups to maintain the equipment properly to ensure long-term benefits, indicating plans to extend similar support to tomato and garden egg farmers in the future. He also encouraged farmers to strengthen their associations for better resource sharing and operational improvements.
The District Director of Agriculture for Atwima Nwabiagya North, Mrs Grace Achia, lauded the MP's initiative, noting its alignment with the government's Feed Ghana Programme and the District Medium-Term Development Plan. She assured farmers of ongoing support from the Department of Agriculture, including training for the proper use of the threshers.
Farmers expressed gratitude for the timely intervention, acknowledging that the mechanised threshers would significantly alleviate the challenges of manual threshing, reduce post-harvest losses, and boost the efficiency of rice production. They committed to maintaining the equipment to ensure its continued benefit to their communities.