Ghana will be self-sufficient in rice production by 2022 – Minister

Company News of Thursday, May 30, 2019

Source: Myjoyonline.com

2019-05-30

The Minister of Food and Agriculture has announced a plan to make the country self – sufficient in rice production by 2022.

"Ghana is currently importing about $ 1.5 billion worth of rice," Dr. Akoto Afriyie told reporters on Thursday as part of his tidal alteration project that contributes to the cedi's depreciation.

"Now that rice has become a staple, the demand for rice is growing rapidly. And we had to rely more and more on exports. In 2007, we imported $ 151 million into this country. By 2015, that number had increased tenfold, "he said.

The project of indigenization of rice production follows a call by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel.

Mr. Mohamed Ibn Chambas encouraged the country to adopt the technology of the system of densification of rice, which would have helped the farmers of countries like Mali to improve their rice yields.

He said that last month when he paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Agriculture.

Their meeting focused on how the West African countries, particularly Ghana, could work to reduce their rice import wage bill. The Daily Guide reported.

According to the ministry, the plan to make Ghana self-sufficient in rice production will include providing farmers in some districts of the country with improved seedlings.

Once again, the government will expand rice production from savanna regions to forest areas in the country whose potential for rice production has been ruled out.

"These areas have more than enough valleys; we can produce rice and feed all of West Africa, not just Ghana. We have this capacity, but this resource has been around for hundreds of years, "he said.

He revealed that the government was in talks with Chinese investors to provide rice mills to farmers to improve productivity and achieve the desired goal.

This is not everything.

The minister also added that the government "has reached an agreement with Exim Bank for a $ 150 million facility for agricultural mechanization, we signed a contract about three weeks ago and hope to receive it before the end of the year. # 39; year.

The plan, however, is not to put importers of rice bankrupt. The new regime will instead offer them better business opportunities if they want to take advantage of the government's agenda.

"It's an opportunity for them," said the minister about rice importers, "they have to switch. They are at the end of the value chain. They must establish links with the Rice Producers Association, etc., and create business opportunities. They must be smart, "he warned.