By: Nana Buadu
The Central Region is tipped to becoming the hub of Rice Production in the country five years from now. This follows the huge potential experts say the region abounds in Rice Production and the current revolution taking place in the sector.
In an effort to make this a reality, a project known as KOICA Rice value Chain improvement project is being implemented in 5 districts of the Region.
A 5- day capacity development strategy to enhance the knowledge and practical skills of 20 agriculture extension officers on quality Rice Production has taken place at Winneba. It is to support the 514 Rice farmers under the project in the Central Region.
Rice is an important strategic food staple in Ghana. Its consumption keeps increasing as result of population growth, urbanization and change in consumer habits.
It is cultivated in Ghana both as a food crop and cash crop. Unfortunately, Rice Production in the country has not been the best despite the many potentials the country has in rice production.
Statistics at the Agric Ministry indicate that 2020 for instance, Ghana produced 651 Thousand Metric Tonnes of Rice and spent 200 million dollars in importing 780 Thousand Metric Tonnes of rice into the country for consumption.
Currently, the top five Rice Production regions in Ghana as at 2020 are Volta, Northern, Oti, Upper East and Ashanti regions. The Central Region is at the sixth position but with the Rice revolution taking place now, the region alone is tipped to grow enough Rice to feed the nation and export some.
Experts say, almost all the Districts of the region have huge potential for Rice cultivation considering favourable land and coverage, whether, skills and other potentials. A demonstration of plot and Rice seed Production fields at Okyereko in the Gomoa East District with irrigation systems.
The region is currently doing an average of 4.5 Metric Tonnes per hectare which is one of the highest and even above the national average of 3.1 per hectare, hence the projection of the region becoming the hub of Rice Production in Ghana. The KOICA Rice Value Chain improvement project is a 4-year bilateral Cooperation project launched in 2021 by the Government of the Republic of Korea through it international agency and being implemented by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture through Benda Services Group.
The project is an $8m grant project and being implemented in Gomoa East, Assin North, Assin Central, Assin South and Twifo Atti-Morkwa.
Nine communities and eleven farmer-based organizations in the five Districts are currently on the project with 514 rice farmers.
The project further seeks to improve the quality of life of rural farmers in the Central Region. The Regional Director of Agric, Dr. Peter Omega, explained that a state-of-the-art Rice Processing plant is being constructed under project at Assin Akropong.
He highlighted how important the project is and potentials of the Region to revolutionalized Rice Production in Ghana.
The KOICA country Director, Kong Moo Heon, Congratulated the trainees and noted that the objective of the training is to strengthen the institutional capacity of the agencies and expressed the hope that the beneficiary officers would appreciate their role in contributing to the success of the project.
The Central Regional Minister, Mrs. Marigold Assan, was excited about the project and urged the extension officers who have been trained to impact the project positively as expected. She noted that KOICA Rice would be exhibited during the upcoming Central Region expo.
The CEO of Benda Services Group, Ben Edusah, spoke more about the project and how it can transform Rice Production in Ghana with the Central region as the hub.