Eric Opoku, Minister of Food and Agriculture, says government will establish Farmer Services Centres nationwide to improve access to agricultural machinery and services.

A statement issued by the Ministry and shared with the Ghana News Agency said the initiative formed part of efforts to support farmers and increase production.

It said the Minister made the remarks at a sod‑cutting ceremony for the first Farmer Services Centre at Takoratwene in the Kwahu Afram Plains South District.

Opoku said the centres would provide mechanisation services to farmers and reduce reliance on manual labour.

He said the initiative was part of a broader agenda to improve livelihoods and make farming a viable economic activity.

The statement said government planned to roll out 50 centres in the initial phase.

Opoku encouraged farmers to join cooperatives to improve access to credit and other services.

“We are collating data on every farmer into a centralized system. We therefore encourage all farmers to register under the ‘Akuafo Anidaso’ platform to ensure fair and efficient distribution of services,” he said.

The statement said government had commenced the development of two irrigation schemes in the Afram Plains to support year‑round farming.

One of the projects at Kunadu would irrigate about 900 hectares of farmland and was expected to be completed within seven to nine months.

Opoku said government was taking steps to address post‑harvest losses and improve market access.

The statement said that government was working with a UK‑based company, African Golden Foods, to establish a processing factory in the area to purchase and process crops from farmers.

On maize imports, the Minister said government had not issued permits and would prioritise the purchase of locally produced maize.

Touching on measures to address challenges in the poultry sector, including egg glut, he said the President had directed the Ministry of Education to include eggs in the School Feeding Programme to absorb excess supply.

The statement said the Ministry was implementing measures to support farmers and improve production across the agricultural sector.