Agricultural mechanization and south-south knowledge exchange: What can Ghanaian and Nigerian policymakers learn from Bangladesh’s experience?
This policy note (PDF) from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) shows to what extend mechanization efforts from Bangladesh can be used as an example for these transformations in Ghana and Nigeria. The notes elaborates on the experiences of past efforts in these countries have mostly focused on the styles of machinery used in western countries or Latin American countries, where average farm sizes are much larger. In Bangladesh recent fast growth in agricultural mechanization has spread among smallholder farmers that own an average of 0.5 hectares. While there are still difference between Ghana and Bangladesh (Ghana is still relatively land abundant compared to Bangladesh), the authors suggest that learning from experience of agricultural mechanization in Bangladesh can offer useful inspiration on how widespread mechanization can happen for smallholders in Ghana and Nigeria. While South-South knowledge exchange on agricultural mechanization has benefits, it remains important to strike the right balance across the various models from various countries available to achieve growth across diverse types of farms.