In a major push to modernize Ghana’s agriculture and boost food security, President John Dramani Mahama on Saturday cut the sod for the first Farmer Services Centre at Takoratwene in the Kwahu Afram Plains South District of the Eastern Region. The initiative, part of the Government’s comprehensive agricultural transformation agenda, aims to bring mechanization, inputs, and technical support directly to farmers.
Farmer Services Centres are designed as one-stop hubs providing mechanization services for land preparation, planting, harvesting, shelling, and bagging, alongside the supply of seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and agronomic advisory services. Each centre will also support post-harvest storage, market linkages, and farmer training.
President Mahama announced that the Government plans to establish 50 such centres nationwide, with 11 slated for construction this year. “Agriculture remains the backbone of livelihoods for millions of Ghanaians. These Centres are a testament of confidence in our hardworking farmers and a practical step toward building a more modern, productive, and resilient agricultural economy,” he said.
Highlighting the strategic choice of Takoratwene, the President explained that the district is endowed with vast arable lands, year-round water for irrigation, and strong potential for maize, rice, soybean, and livestock production. He described the Centre as a critical agricultural growth corridor that would improve mechanization access, reduce post-harvest losses, provide ready markets, and create jobs, particularly for the youth.
As part of the initiative, the Government will also roll out a free fertilizer package for farmers. President Mahama further announced key infrastructure projects to support the farming communities, including the construction of a bridge over the River Afram at Etse-Amanfrom and the upgrading of the Adawso–Agordeke road.
“Transforming agriculture requires targeted investments that directly impact farmers’ productivity and incomes. The Farmer Services Centres are central to this vision, moving our sector from subsistence to modern commercial production, and from vulnerability to resilience,” he said.
The launch of the Takoratwene centre marks the beginning of what the Government envisions as a nationwide network of integrated agricultural service hubs, offering the tools, resources, and support farmers need to succeed and strengthen Ghana’s food security.
