The assembling plant will also serve as an agriculture innovative training centre for farmers from the sub-region on maintenance of tractors and implements as well as provide services such as good agronomic practices and modern techniques in land preparation to enhance agricultural mechanization in the country.

The project, which is expected to be completed by next year, is a partnership between agromaster, a renowned agricultural implements manufacturer, based in Turkey, and A&G Agro-Mechanical Industries, an indigenous agribusiness company.

The establishment of the assembling plant is in line with a partnership agreement signed by agromaster and A&G Agro-Mechanical Industries. Mr Mehmet Aslantas, Vice General Manager of agromaster, who led a business delegation to visit the project site in Tamale, said both companies are committed to ensuring increased agricultural productivity in the sub-region for improved incomes for farmers hence the decision to establish the assembling plant in Tamale.

Mr Aslantas said the operations of the assembling plant would lead to technology transfer equipping local people with knowledge to support the agricultural sector for increased productivity. Lack of local expertise and an assembling plant means broken down farm equipment remain un-serviced in the country, a situation, which greatly affects the operations of many farmers.

Mr Belarkpeng Deyang, Director of Agricultural Engineering Services, Ministry of Food and Agriculture, lauded the initiative saying it would lead to reduced cost of tractors and inputs making them available and affordable to farmers in the country.

Mr Deyang said it would also help farmers to fix their broken down tractors amongst other farm implements as well as ensure reduced cost of spare parts for repairs of tractors to help improve agricultural production.

A&G Agro-Mechanical Industries is the sole distributor of agromaster implements in West Africa, and it also provides other agricultural services including land preparation for farmers in the country to ensure increased agricultural productivity.

The agromaster’s business delegation, which visited the project site in Tamale, also toured a large rice acreage farm cultivated by Abanga Farms at Guo in the North Gonja District, where they witnessed agromaster farm implements being used to contribute to the mechanization revitalization in the country.