Ing. Dr. Shadrack Kwadwo Amponsah, the head of Agricultural Engineering and Transport at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) – Crops Research Institute, has emphasized the need for locally developed solutions to address Ghana’s agricultural mechanization challenges. Drawing from his extensive experience, Dr. Amponsah highlighted the struggles farmers face with basic tools and outlined a strategic plan to enhance the country’s mechanization efforts.
Dr. Amponsah advocates for an intermediate and appropriate technology model tailored to the needs of smallholder farmers. According to him, these farmers do not require large, expensive machinery. Instead, simple improvements to traditional farming tools could significantly boost productivity while keeping costs manageable. He proposed the development of locally manufactured small-scale machines that would be easily accessible and maintainable by community artisans.
In addition, Dr. Amponsah urged universities and research institutions to collaborate with private sector entities and the government to organize training workshops for farmers. These partnerships could facilitate the introduction of prototypes of these simple machines to farmers, encouraging engagement with modern agricultural technologies.
However, Dr. Amponsah noted the absence of strong political will and adequate funding as significant barriers. He criticized the current practice of importing heavy machinery from countries like China and Brazil, which often fails to provide lasting solutions. “We frequently lack the resources to maintain these imports, and they break down due to limited spare parts and technical support,” he said.
He stressed that a shift towards local production would reduce Ghana’s dependence on imports while empowering local engineers and artisans to create affordable and easily maintainable farming equipment. This approach, he believes, would offer a more sustainable and effective solution to the challenges facing the country’s agricultural sector.
