Manual labour and drudgery that characterize the production of plantain are a deterrent to the youth and the aged.

Meanwhile, various aspects of the production could be achieved with mechanized tools to lessen the reliance on labour.

The Crops Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-CRI) is therefore partnering farmers to mechanize the production of plantain.

The project dubbed: Mechanization and Work in Agroecological Transitions (MechaWAT) seeks to industrialize the production of plantain.

The Coordinator for the project, Dr Natson Eyram Amengor explained that the project is equally aimed at addressing the issue of labour unavailability and the use of chemicals.

“We are looking at activities that could be done with more or less, like mechanized tools that will reduce the excessive reliance on labour and in one vain also, prevent the issues that come with labour unavailability. We also are looking at reducing the use of agro-chemicals.”

Dr Jonas Adu, who addressed the farmers on behalf of the Director of the Crops Research Institute, explained that the workshop sought to introduce innovative and sustainable solutions on how to modify existing machines to ease farmers’ struggles.

He further encouraged the farmers to state their challenges and needs to help the agenda of the mechanization project.

“If you have about 1 hectare of plantain, how many people will you need to be able to harvest? So please, the issue of mechanization is very important but we cannot do that when we don’t know what you need as stakeholders and that is why this workshop is very important so that you can tell us what you expect from this project,” he said.

An agricultural engineer on the project, Dr Shadrack Amponsah emphasized the importance of co-creation in bringing out the most suitable tool.

“Whatever ideas you give me, it’ll be easy for our team to work out something to suit what you want so that your production can be successful,” he said.