Ghana has intensified efforts to modernise agriculture with the introduction of drone technology under the Feed Ghana Programme, a move expected to improve productivity, reduce production costs and accelerate the country’s transition to precision farming.

The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, announced the distribution of five sets of agricultural drones to the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) alongside 40,000 bags of inorganic fertilizer to support farmers during the major planting season in northern Ghana and the upcoming minor season in the south.

Speaking at a ceremony to hand over the inputs, Mr. Opoku described the drones as a practical and symbolic investment in the future of Ghanaian agriculture.

“This is one of the most important aspects of today’s event,” he said. “The presentation of these drones is both practical and symbolic.”

According to the Minister, the drones will enable farmers and farmer organisations to monitor farms, detect crop stress, identify pests and diseases early, map farms, assess crop performance and improve decision-making at the farm level.

He noted that the technology marks a significant shift from traditional farming methods to data-driven agricultural production.

“It marks a bold shift in Ghana’s agricultural journey, from guesswork to data, from traditional agricultural production practices to precision production, from low productivity to smart farming,” he stated.

The Minister said drone technology would help farmers manage large-scale operations more efficiently by allowing them to identify problems before they escalate, optimise the application of inputs and reduce wastage.

Beyond improving yields, he said the technology would lower production costs, enhance environmental sustainability through reduced agrochemical use and improve safety by limiting farmers’ exposure to harmful chemicals.

Mr. Opoku added that drones would also strengthen agricultural extension services, support farm mapping, irrigation monitoring, climate-smart agriculture initiatives and improve data collection for planning and policymaking.

He stressed that integrating digital technologies into agriculture is critical to achieving the objectives of the Feed Ghana Programme, which seeks to boost domestic food production, reduce food imports, create jobs and strengthen the agricultural value chain.

The Minister further highlighted the potential of technology-driven agriculture to attract young people into the sector.

“When young people see agriculture connected to drones, data, enterprise and innovation, they begin to see farming not as punishment, but as a profitable and respectable profession,” he said.

Mr. Opoku said the future of agriculture would be built not only with traditional tools but also through the adoption of modern technologies, including drones, digital advisory services, mechanisation, irrigation systems and precision farming tools.

He urged beneficiary farmers and farmer organisations to ensure the efficient use of the drones and other inputs to improve productivity and strengthen Ghana’s food security.

The drone distribution forms part of a broader package under the Feed Ghana Programme, which also includes fertilizer support, mechanisation, irrigation expansion and digital agriculture initiatives aimed at transforming the sector into a major driver of economic growth.

“We are not simply distributing drones and fertilizers. We are distributing opportunity. We are distributing productivity. We are distributing confidence. We are distributing the future of Ghanaian agriculture,” the Minister said.