Farmers in the South Tongu Constituency are set to benefit from reduced land preparation costs following the introduction of a tractor support initiative by the area’s Member of Parliament, Maxwell Kwame Lukutor.
The initiative, launched on Monday March 16–as part of activities marking the MP’s 52nd birthday, is aimed at addressing the long-standing challenge of high ploughing costs in the area.
For years, farmers in the constituency have paid between GH¢500 and GH¢600 per acre to hire tractors, with some travelling long distances to access such services. Under the new arrangement, however, farmers are expected to pay between GH¢150 and GH¢200 per acre, significantly reducing their production costs.
Mr Lukutor explained that the tractor initiative is intended to serve all farmers in the constituency, regardless of political affiliation, stressing that the intervention is people-centred and not politically motivated.
He described the project as the first phase of a broader plan to acquire four tractors to support farming activities across the constituency and reduce the burden on farmers.
To ensure transparency and sustainability, a management committee, operators and a coordinator have been appointed to oversee the operations of the tractor.
The project coordinator, Jonathan Gustaf, said measures had been put in place to ensure fairness in access and proper maintenance. He explained that farmers would be required to indicate the size of land to be ploughed before deployment, adding that the fees collected would be used solely for fuel, servicing and maintenance rather than profit.
The initiative is also expected to benefit educational institutions within the constituency, as Senior High Schools will receive free ploughing services for up to 10 acres each to support their agricultural programmes.
A representative of women in agriculture, Julia Maya Gbeley, welcomed the intervention and described it as a major relief, noting that many women farmers struggle to access affordable tractor services and often incur high costs travelling long distances.
Farmers and residents in the constituency believe the initiative will help reduce farming costs, improve productivity and encourage more people, particularly women and the youth, to venture into agriculture.
Credit: By Mavis Fantevi
