Farmers in the Navrongo Central Constituency have received a major boost in their agricultural activities as the former Member of Parliament (MP), Sampson Tangombu Chiragia, has provided a combine harvester to assist rice farmers in harvesting their produce free of charge.
The gesture, which has been widely praised by farmers in the area, is aimed at easing one of the biggest challenges they face during the harvesting season.
For years, rice farmers in Navrongo and its surrounding communities have struggled to access combine harvesters — essential machines that simplify and speed up the harvesting process. Many smallholder farmers have often been forced to rely on manual labor, which is time-consuming, costly, and leads to significant post-harvest losses.
Speaking to A1 Radio, Mr. Chiragia, who currently serves as the Technical Advisor to the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), said his decision to provide the harvester was driven by his own experiences as a farmer.
“As someone who has been into farming myself, I understand the challenges farmers go through, especially during the harvesting season. Providing this combine harvester to help them harvest their rice for free is my small way of supporting them,” he said.
He emphasized that agriculture remains the backbone of the local economy and must be supported with the right tools and initiatives to improve productivity and income levels among farmers.
In addition to the free harvesting initiative, Mr. Chiragia revealed that he has established a rice milling factory in the Upper East Region, with production already underway. The factory, equipped with modern processing machinery, is capable of producing 2,000 bags of 50kg long-grain rice per day. When fully operational, it is expected to produce up to 100,000 bags of 50kg rice per month.
According to the former MP, the establishment of the factory aligns with the government’s vision of promoting value addition in the agricultural sector — transforming raw produce into finished goods for both domestic consumption and export.
“For too long, our farmer have been exploited because they sell their produce in its raw form. This factory will change that narrative. Farmers can now bring their rice here for milling, package it properly, and sell it at better prices. This way, they get more value and profit from their hard work,” he stated.
Mr. Chiragia noted that the project was made possible with the support of some of his friends and partners who share his vision of empowering farmers and reducing post-harvest losses in northern Ghana.
He expressed optimism that the rice processing factory will not only create jobs for the youth but also encourage more people to venture into rice farming.
Farmers in Navrongo have expressed their gratitude to the former MP for his continued commitment to improving agricultural livelihoods in the area.
Many say the combine harvester and milling factory will go a long way to reduce their burden and boost rice production in the Upper East Region.
Source: a1radioonline.com|Moses Apiah|Navrongo
