Ghana's Ministry of Food and Agriculture takes delivery of a fleet of 125 New Holland tractors as part of a national program to support the development of small farm agriculture.

New Holland Agriculture delivers this week 125 New Holland TD80 straddle mount tractors at a ceremony to be held at the premises of the Agricultural Engineering Services Directory of Ghana's Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA). Sirius Corp., a world leading trading company, was tasked by the Government of Japan with sourcing the equipment for this donation as part of an international aid project. CFAO Equipment, New Holland's official distributor in Ghana, will provide technical and service support for these units.

The TD80 tractors, built at New Holland's Turkish plant in Ankara, are destined to support the development of small farming agriculture as part of MOFA's mission to promote sustainable agriculture through research and technology development as well as other essential support services to farmers. This includes the creation of District Mechanization Centers and supply of machinery and implements to support the introduction of mechanized agriculture into the Country's farming practices.

Diego H. de la Calle, New Holland Agriculture's Africa Business Director, is very satisfied with the positive outcome of this international tender: "Today's ceremony is testimony to New Holland's focus on meeting the specific requirements of African markets, and in particular agricultural development and mechanization. We have a highly skilled and experienced team able to address these needs, the right range of products for these markets -- simple, reliable and sturdy machines at affordable prices -- and the infrastructure to provide the necessary after sales support, including parts availability and the provision of training."

The 80 hp New Holland TD80 straddle mounted tractors are a case in point: built with heavy-duty components, they are engineered to be a powerful and faithful working partner with a long operating life and high uptime in the toughest conditions. Powered by the well known water-cooled, 4-cylinder agricultural 8000 series engine, the TD80 is highly fuel-efficient. The mechanical PTO clutch is sturdy and reliable and an independent PTO driveline ensures an efficient transfer of power for maximum efficiency. The patented and proven Lift-O-Matic™ system guarantees the accurate positioning of the implement and optimum draft control of soil engaging tools. These are powerful workhorses that stand out for their reliability and ease of maintenance, ideal for Ghana's farmers.

CFAO Equipment, in addition to supporting the units, will deliver technical and operator training to ensure that the farmers who will receive these TD80 tractors can make the most of their equipment, fulfilling the objectives of MOFA's development program. Mr Eric Potin, General Manager Equipment, CFAO Ghana Limited, commented: "We are honored that New Holland was chosen for such an important project. We are confident that with the supply of the TD80 tractors and through the training and after-sales support we will provide, we will be able to make an important contribution to the mechanization of Ghana's agriculture and to the lives of the farmers that will benefit from this program."

New Holland commercializes in Ghana a selection of tractors in the 35-150 hp range and combine harvesters for rice and corn from its wide product offering. CFAO Equipment supports the country's farmers throughout the territory with its dealer network, bringing Ghanaian customers the benefits of the resources and expertise developed by New Holland Agriculture in the region.

New Holland Agriculture — New Holland Agriculture is a global manufacturer and seller of agricultural equipment. Its reputation is built on the success of its customers, cash crop producers, livestock farmers, contractors, vineyards, or groundscare professionals, who can count on the widest offering of innovative products and services: a full line of equipment, from tractors to harvesting, material handling equipment, complemented by tailored financial services from a specialist in agriculture.