About this module
Level 1 put you safely in the driving seat. Level 2 makes you an operator farmers book again and again, and a woman who can run the business.
Who it is for. Women who have finished Tractor Operation for Women (Level 1), or who can show the same skills. National Proficiency II covers varied work done under limited supervision and leads on to National Certificate I.
CTVET status. CTVET lists Agriculture Mechanisation at National Proficiency I and II and higher levels, but the unit standards are not online; contact info@ctvet.gov.gh. This module is not a CTVET curriculum. Ghana's earlier "Women in the Driving Seat" course covered tractor control, safety, machinery, maintenance and business, with a 3-month placement on commercial farms. A Ministry survey then found almost all mechanisation centres were run by men lacking safety skills.
Bridge from Level 1: what you already know
- ROPS up and seat belt on; PTO rules; one seat, one rider
- The daily walk-round and check sheet
- Starting, driving, turning, slopes and safe parking
- Hitching a 3-point implement with the PTO last; levelling; headlands of 3 m or more
- Greasing, air filter, helping with an oil change, the logbook
- The licence and age question; job records; a price-per-acre sum
Level 1 did not cover major repairs, combines or road-driving lessons for the DVLA test. Level 2 still leaves major repairs to mechanics.
How the module works
Each unit has learning outcomes, performance criteria, the range and the evidence your assessor needs. You are judged Competent or Not Yet Competent. About 70% of the time is practical, following CTVET's Oil Palm programme split of about 30% school and 70% workplace.
Safety first
- ROPS and seat belt together prevent almost all rollover deaths; without the belt, much less protection. Tractors without ROPS can be fitted with one.
- Add front ballast when carrying heavy rear implements; slow down on turns; turn downhill on slopes; lock the brakes together for road travel.
- PTO shafts spin 540 or 1,000 times a minute. Keep all guards on. Disengage the PTO and switch off before adjusting, unblocking or calibrating.
- Before hitching or loading: brake on, wheels chocked, power off, people clear. Lower implements and take the key when you leave.
Unit 1 · Plan and work a field efficiently
Every minute spent turning or overlapping is fuel and money lost. Every pass on wet soil can damage it for years.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 1.1 Measure efficiency | calculates field capacity and efficiency from records |
| 1.2 Plan the pattern | chooses a field pattern and headlands to cut turning time |
| 1.3 Protect the soil | judges soil moisture and avoids compaction; knows when to use minimum tillage |
Range. Three fields. Evidence. Field records; efficiency sums; field plans.
Field capacity
Theoretical capacity (ha per hour) = working width (m) × speed (km/h) ÷ 10 Effective capacity = hectares done ÷ hours actually in the field Field efficiency = effective ÷ theoretical
Losses come from overlapping, turning, filling seed or chemicals, unblocking and checking. Typical efficiencies are about 80% for disc harrowing but only 55–65% for planting.
In northern Ghana, a 75 hp tractor with a 3-disc plough was planned at about 4 hectares a day over a 45-day season.
Efficiency sum
A harrow is 2.5 m wide and you drive at 8 km/h. What is the theoretical capacity? You did 6 ha in 4 hours. What is your field efficiency?
Soil compaction
Wet soil is most easily damaged. Heavy axle loads compact the subsoil permanently; lower tyre pressure reduces topsoil damage. Deep compaction can cut yields by about 15% in the first year and for many years after. Keep repeated passes in the same lanes.
Conservation agriculture means little soil disturbance, keeping at least 30% of the ground covered, and rotating crops. Sometimes the best job is less ploughing.
Three fields
- Plan a pattern and headlands for each field.
- Record hours, area and fuel.
- Calculate field efficiency for each.
- Do a squeeze test of soil moisture before each job.
Improve
Write two ways to raise your field efficiency next time.
Unit 2 · Set and use tillage implements
A well-set implement does a good job with less fuel and less wear.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 2.1 Set plough and harrow | sets depth, width and level for the conditions |
| 2.2 Set ridger and rotary tools | sets a ridger; operates a rotavator or power tiller safely |
| 2.3 Fix poor work | diagnoses shallow, uneven work or wheel slip and corrects it |
Range. Disc plough, disc harrow, ridger; rotavator if available. Evidence. Setting records; trainer observation.
Setting implements
Settings depend on the implement, the tractor and the soil, so use the implement manual and the FAO farm machinery manual. Always:
- Level the implement side to side and front to back
- Set depth with the top link and lift control
- Set working width to match the tractor and field
- Check work after the first pass and adjust
- Switch off and lower the implement before any adjustment
Rotary tools
Rotavators and power tillers are driven by the PTO. Check that guards turn freely by hand with the engine off; telescoping shafts can separate under load and swing.
Set and check
- Set the disc plough for a field and record the settings.
- Plough a strip and measure depth at ten points.
- Adjust and repeat. Do the same with the harrow and ridger.
Manual
Copy the settings table from your implement's manual into your logbook.
Unit 3 · Calibrate planters and sprayers
A planter that drops too much seed wastes money; a sprayer that puts on too much chemical is dangerous.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 3.1 Calibrate a planter | sets seed rate and spacing and checks in the field |
| 3.2 Calibrate a sprayer | calibrates a boom sprayer and checks nozzles |
| 3.3 Handle chemicals safely | mixes and cleans up with PPE |
Range. One planter; one boom sprayer. Evidence. Calibration sheets.
Planter
In Ghana, a tractor planter can plant about 20 acres a day. Calibrate it using the manual: set the plate or meter, drive a measured distance, count seeds per metre, and adjust until spacing matches the target. Check again in the field.
Boom sprayer
Calibrate with clean water only:
- Fill with water and check for leaks.
- Time how long it takes to drive a measured distance at spraying speed, twice, and average.
- Parked, catch each nozzle's output for that time.
- Clean or replace any nozzle more than 10% away from the average.
- Work out the litres per hectare and adjust speed or pressure. Driving slower or raising pressure gives more spray.
Units. The method source uses US units. Your trainer will help you convert to litres per hectare.
Chemicals. Wear PPE when mixing. Mix away from water sources and people. Triple-rinse containers. Never calibrate with chemicals in the tank.
Calibrate both
- Calibrate a planter for maize spacing.
- Calibrate a boom sprayer with water and record each nozzle.
- Work out the chemical needed per tank for a given rate.
Seed sum
How much seed do you need for 10 acres at your calibrated rate?
Unit 4 · Trailers, shellers and road work
Carting and shelling earn money long after ploughing season ends.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 4.1 Hitch and load a trailer | hitches to the drawbar with pins and chains; loads safely |
| 4.2 Run a sheller | sets up a PTO sheller safely; records output and fuel |
| 4.3 Prepare for the road | checks licence, insurance, markings, brakes and route |
Range. One trailer job; one shelling job. Evidence. Pre-trip check; sheller record.
Trailers
Hitch towed loads to the drawbar only, never higher. Use safety pins and chains on the road, lock the brakes together, and check clearance under power lines. Trailers carrying people need brakes, secured seats, side panels and a canopy. Record a vehicle check at the start of each shift.
Ghana's road rules allow no more than two trailers, with a maximum carrying capacity of 8 tonnes, at one time. Rear warning signs are required on farm equipment in other countries; ask DVLA about Ghana's rule.
Licence
Ghana's road rules place an age limit of 25 on agricultural tractor licences, but news reports describe younger graduates receiving Class E licences for farm machinery, and say more than 90% of operators previously had no formal certification. Ask DVLA which licence and age apply to you.
Shellers
A PTO maize sheller can shell about 100 bags of 100 kg a day. Keep the PTO guard on and switch off before clearing a blockage.
Cart and shell
- Do a recorded pre-trip check and hitch a trailer.
- Carry a measured load on a farm track.
- Run a sheller for one hour; record bags and fuel.
DVLA
Call or visit DVLA. Ask which licence you need to drive a tractor and trailer on the road.
Unit 5 · Service and fault-finding
A tractor that is serviced on time breaks down less and earns more.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 5.1 Do scheduled services | follows the manual's hour-based services and records them |
| 5.2 Find simple faults | checks no-start, overheating, hydraulic and tyre problems |
| 5.3 Know her limits | reports major faults to a mechanic |
Range. The training tractor. Evidence. Service record; fault reports.
Service by the hour meter
Service intervals are set by the maker. For example, one common model changes the engine oil filter after the first 100 hours and then every 250 hours, and hydraulic filters every 500 hours. Follow your own tractor's manual.
Servicing costs rose sharply in Ghana: in Tumu, from about GH¢400 to over GH¢1,000 in 2022. Daily checks include hydraulic oil, leaks, battery terminals and tyres.
Simple fault checks
| Problem | Check first |
|---|---|
| Will not start | Fuel, battery terminals, safety switches (neutral, PTO off) |
| Overheating | Coolant level, radiator fins blocked, fan belt |
| Implement will not lift | Hydraulic oil level, leaks, control position |
| Wheel slip | Tyre condition, ballast, soil too wet |
Your limit. If the simple checks do not fix it, stop and call a mechanic. Never feel for hydraulic leaks with your hand; lower implements before working near them. Hoses and brakes belong in your risk checks.
Service day
- Read the service schedule in the manual.
- Do a 50-hour or 250-hour service with your trainer.
- Record it in the service book.
- Practise the fault checks on a staged fault.
Service plan
Write the next three services due on the training tractor by hour meter.
Unit 6 · Records and costing
If you do not know what an acre costs you, you cannot know if your price makes money.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 6.1 Keep records | records hours, fuel per acre and every job |
| 6.2 Find break-even | calculates break-even acres for different service mixes |
| 6.3 Set prices | sets prices from records and tracks repayments |
Range. One season's records (real or given). Evidence. Cost sheet; price list.
What the evidence shows
- An IFPRI study listed the costs of a tractor business: the tractor and plough, fuel, lubricants, maintenance, a shed, insurance, registration and operator wages.
- Ploughing alone was not economical. Adding planting and shelling cut the acres needed to break even by more than half, for only about 15% more investment.
- Private operators averaged about 450 acres a season, while government mechanisation centres managed only about 170–210 acres per tractor a year.
- In Tumu, ploughing prices doubled from GH¢100 to GH¢200 an acre between 2021 and 2022 as diesel prices rose. Diesel prices rose again in 2026, and the government cut them briefly in August 2026. Check today's price from the NPA.
Cost per acre = (fuel + oil + repairs + wages + insurance + loan repayment) ÷ acres worked
Cost an acre
In a month you worked 120 acres. Fuel GH¢9,000, oil and filters GH¢800, repairs GH¢1,500, your wage GH¢2,400, insurance and loan share GH¢3,000. What is your cost per acre? Is GH¢200 an acre profitable?
Cost sheet
- Keep hour, fuel and job records for every job in the course.
- Calculate fuel per acre and cost per acre.
- Make a price list for ploughing, harrowing, planting, carting and shelling.
Price survey
Ask three tractor owners near you what they charge per acre.
Unit 7 · Run a tractor-hire business
"The farmer does not need the tractor, he needs the services of a tractor." Women farmers need them most of all.
Competency standard
| Learning outcome | Performance criteria — the trainee… |
|---|---|
| 7.1 Compare business models | compares owning, operating, booking agent and service centre work |
| 7.2 Plan for returns | chooses location, services, timing and finance |
| 7.3 Market herself | markets as a woman operator; plans inclusive roles |
Range. Own business plan. Evidence. Business plan; marketing plan.
The opportunity
- Former President and current President Mahama said in 2023 that farmers need tractor services, not tractors.
- Women farmers often wait while men's fields are ploughed first, even when they have money, so they plant late. A woman operator who serves women farmers fills that gap.
- Women booking agents for Hello Tractor booked more jobs, had wider networks, earned more and repaid better. Hello Tractor offers pay-as-you-go tractor ownership with incentives for women.
- TROTRO Tractor, a Ghanaian service, lets farmers book and prepay by app or USSD and focuses on women and youth.
- Women trained by Agro Kings and GIZ all got internships, and two became leads. A woman operator worked heavy machinery for four years despite myths about women.
Farmer Service Centres
Under Feed Ghana, 50 Farmer Service Centres are planned, offering tractors, ploughing, harrowing, transport and shelling; eleven were due by October 2026. Organised groups, including women and persons with disabilities, get priority through cooperatives. Feed Ghana offers finance through cooperatives and risk-sharing, and tractors have been given to institutions. The Agricultural Development Bank offers equipment leasing.
Location settings that give good returns
- Farming areas with many smallholders and few tractors
- Maize and rice areas where planting and shelling are needed too
- Near a Farmer Service Centre or cooperative
- Near fuel and spare parts dealers
- Where women farmers are organised in groups
Business ideas and ingenuity
- Plough, harrow, plant and shell as a package (break-even falls sharply)
- Carting produce and inputs after the season
- Book jobs for women's groups first
- Work as an operator for an owner or a service centre
- Become a booking agent by phone and app
Market yourself
- Visit women's groups and churches before the season with your price list.
- WhatsApp Business and USSD booking partners.
- Arrive on the day promised; good work brings repeat bookings.
- Wear your training certificate and licence proudly.
Accessibility
Booking agent, dispatcher and record-keeping roles need a phone and a network, not driving, and can suit persons with disabilities. Ask about hand controls and seat aids for operators with leg impairments. Invite persons with disabilities to join your cooperative.
Business plan
- Compare four business models for you.
- Write a one-page business plan with services, prices and finance.
- Make a booking card for women farmers.
Group visit
Visit a women farmers' group. Ask when they need ploughing and what they can pay.
Glossary
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ballast | Extra weight added for stability and grip |
| Break-even | The number of acres at which income covers costs |
| Calibration | Setting a machine to apply the right amount |
| Compaction | Squashed soil that roots and water cannot get through |
| Drawbar | The fixed bar for pulling trailers |
| Field efficiency | Actual work rate ÷ theoretical work rate |
| Headland | The turning strip at the end of a field |
Logbook
- Safety: daily ROPS and belt check
- Unit 1: field records; efficiency sums
- Unit 2: implement settings
- Unit 3: calibration sheets
- Unit 4: pre-trip checks; sheller record
- Unit 5: service record; fault reports
- Unit 6: cost sheet; price list
- Unit 7: business plan; booking card
- Every homework, dated
Self-check quiz
- Write the formula for theoretical field capacity.
- Why avoid working on wet soil?
- What should you do before adjusting an implement?
- Why calibrate a sprayer with water only?
- Where must a trailer be hitched?
- How many trailers may be towed at once?
- What do you check first if the tractor will not start?
- Why was ploughing alone not economical?
- Why can a woman operator win business from women farmers?
- Name two finance or support options.
Further reading and sources
Best next reads: your Level 1 manual; your tractor and implement manuals; the FAO farm machinery manual; the Hub's Money Skills manual.
What this module does not cover: major engine and hydraulic repairs, combine harvesters, and DVLA road test lessons.
Every source used in this manual is listed, with links, in the Teacher Copy.