The Food and Agriculture Ministry is discussing the possibility of sourcing a $95 Million loan form Brazil to procure tractors and machines for farmers in the rural areas.
Nii Amasa Namoale, the Deputy Minister of the Ministry, met a Brazilian delegation on Tuesday to discuss how best the machines could be used and develop policies that would favour small scale farmers in the rural areas.
He said the loan was part of co-operation with Brazil dubbed ‘More Food African Program’ where Brazil would support African countries to produce more food.
Nii Namoale said it would basically concentrate on commercial agriculture to be able to preserve the environment and keep and empower small scale farmers.
He said 85 percent of food consumed in the country was produced by rural small scale farmers, adding that the meeting was to discuss ways of upgrading their work with the appropriate machines, technology and marketing skills.
Nii Namoale urged District Assemblies to also sustain the small scale farmers for them to be empowered economically and socially and to produce enough for their families and the whole country.
Mr Luis Fernando Serra, Brazilian Ambassador in Ghana, said the loan would help alleviate poverty in African countries and to help reduce imports and increase the exports.
He said “The loan would not only help Ghana to stop importing almost every thing but would also help it feed its population sufficiently and export the surplus”,