Local rice production gets a boost

Collaborative efforts between the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to improve local rice production is yielding positive results, as the latest statistics from the two bodies show a substantial increase in the current level of local rice production.

The project was started in 2009 and aims at enabling small-scale producers to increase the productivity of rice cultivation systems and as well improve profitability and incomes of farmers and other value chain actors. The project, which is being pursued for a 5-year period, is currently in its 4th year of implementation and is being carried out in the Northern and Ashanti Regions with supervision from the Crop Service Directorate (CSD) of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.

Out of the total 21,634 rice farmers in the two regions, about 1,580 of them farmers have benefitted from the project. Some of the beneficiary districts include Ahafo Ano North, Atwima Mponua, Adansi South, and Asante Akim North and Central.

These details were made known at a local rice promotion event in Kumasi organised by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) in collaboration with the Japanese International Co-operation Agency (JICA).

Despite this remarkable achievement, however, the level of rice importation into the country still remains high -- a problem that threatens attempts to promote consumption of locally produced rice.

The demand for rice across the country keeps on increasing annually due to how important it has become -- basically as a result of a change in eating habit and urbanisation. The capital consumption of rice is currently projected at about 38 kilogrammes (kg) per person per year and likely to double in the next two years.

Currently, a lot of efforts are being put in place to boost local rice production as consumption far exceeds current production levels. MoFA reveals to consider rice as a very important food security commodity. It is in line with this that MoFA has collaborated with JICA over the last three (3) years to offer rice farmers in the country technical support to help bring about 'Sustainable Development of Rain-fed Lowland Rice Production.

Mr. Jiro Inamura, Chief Representative of JICA, said they have realised the significant increment of rice yield since the project’s beginning about some 3 years ago. He further stressed that not only has there been an increment in productivity, but the quality of rice has also improved. The Project Managers and beneficiaries confirmed the substantial increase in productivity levels since implementation of the project.

According to the JICA Representative, the project is developing rice extension plans in the target districts in close coordination with the District assemblies -- putting emphasis on farmer to farmer technology-exchange and improving AEA services.