Government, under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, has received about $30 million worth of farm machinery from the Brazilian government.

This forms part of the last tranche of a $96-million deal under which the Brazilian government supplies tractors to Ghana under a South-South cooperation.

Addressing the media at the launch, Sector Minister, Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto said the facilities, comprising tractors and combined harvesters, will be sold to farmers at a subsidised cost of 40 percent to aid in the planting for food and jobs programme.

"The composition of the machinery this time around is slightly different; there’s more emphasis on harvest, post-harvest and value addition”, he said.

The loan is intended to provide the government with the means to buy and distribute agricultural equipment to small-scale farmers, thereby helping to improve and modernise agriculture in the country.

He reiterated the government’s determination to transform the agricultural sector through the use of technology to improve production.

Dr Afriyie Akoto expressed gratitude to the Brazilian government for agreeing to release the funds and pledged that the government would judiciously utilise the facility for the benefit of farmers.

Some farmers who are beneficiaries of the farm machinery module of the Planting for Food and Jobs programme said it will save them time and help increase their yields.