The European Union (EU) has presented 51 motorbikes and 15 tricycles to Agriculture Extension Agents (AEAs) and farmer groups in the Upper West Region.
The items are to support AEAs in extending their services to all communities within the catchment areas and also support farmers to transport their produce to the local and regional markets to reduce post-harvest losses and increase their income.
The donation formed part of activities under the EU-Ghana Agriculture Programme (EUGAP) currently being implemented by the GIZ and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
Fourteen districts (including all 11 from the Upper West Region) would benefit from the motorbikes, plus two from the Savannah Region: Sawla-Tuna-Kalba and North Gonja and Mamprugu-Moagduri from the North East Region.
The tricycles were handed over to farmer groups, which were awarded at the 40th Farmers’ Day celebration to help improve their farm productivity.
Presentation
Presenting the items to the beneficiary district in Wa, the EU Ambassador to Ghana, Irchad Razaaly, said support for agriculture remained the EU’s largest area of support as a development partner to Ghana.
The tricycles for the farmers
He said the EU had spent close to €200 million in grants in that sector “because we believe that agriculture is one of the key pillars of the economic transformation of the country and the upliftment of farmers and rural communities, and a key pillar for reinforcing Ghana’s trade, not only with EU, but with the rest of the world as well.”
He said it was for this reason that the EU was supporting two critical partners of the agriculture sector in Ghana, “first and foremost, the people in charge of the agriculture policy administration and support in terms of services, extensions and dialogue with the farmers.”
The second group of beneficiaries, which he described as the most important, were the farmers.
“You have been selected to benefit from 15 of the tricycles precisely to encourage you even better, to enforce your productivity and to reward your commitment, dedication and vision,” he told the farmers.
Development gap
Mr Razaaly said even though the EU was a key development partner to Ghana as a whole, “We have a specific commitment when it comes to northern Ghana, from Upper West to Upper East, Northern Region, through North East to Savannah.
“Because we believe in narrowing the gap between the north and the rest of the country. We believe as well in the contribution the farmers of the north can make to make this country even more beautiful, likeable and stronger,” he said.
The Agriculture Extension Agent for Daffiama Bussie Issa District, Mubarikata Yahaya, was grateful to the EU for coming to their aid with the motorbikes and said it would greatly improve their work in the district, and enable them to reach underserved communities which were inaccessible due to a lack of transportation and bad roads.
