The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) has urged intensified efforts to improve the quality and competitiveness of locally produced rice in Ghana, stressing the crop’s importance for national food security and economic growth.
Mr Sunil Dahiya, Senior Program Officer for Inclusive Markets and Trade at AGRA, made the call during a Breakfast Dialogue and Policy Discussion in Accra themed “Eat Ghana Rice Campaign: Promoting Ghana Rice Consumption for National Food Security and Economic Growth.”
He noted that while Ghana has made progress in increasing rice output, persistent challenges with quality and consistency continue to limit the ability of local rice to compete effectively with imports.
“Quality and consistency are critical. We cannot deliver quality today and fail tomorrow. Every Ghanaian deserves access to quality food, including rice, on a consistent basis,” Mr Dahiya said.
He highlighted the need for investments in modern processing equipment and systems to ensure rice reaching the market meets consumer expectations.
Scaling up production to achieve economies of scale was also identified as key, as high production costs, reliance on imported machinery, and labour-intensive practices continue to hinder competitiveness.
Mr Dahiya emphasised the importance of collaboration among government, development partners, and the private sector to strengthen the rice value chain.
He also called for effective branding and awareness campaigns to encourage Ghanaians to prioritise locally produced rice.
The Program Officer expressed confidence that with sustained investment and coordinated action, Ghana could build a competitive rice industry and reduce dependence on imports.
Supporting the call, Mr Sewu Kwadzo Abortta, Associate at Farmer Globale and a rice farmer, highlighted the need for targeted subsidies and policy reforms to improve productivity and reduce production costs.
He noted that increased yields would allow local farmers to sell rice at more affordable prices, potentially between GH₵300 and GH₵350 per 50kg bag compared to imported rice selling for GH₵450 to GH₵500.
“Supporting farmers to improve their production strategies and yields will help local rice compete effectively with foreign rice on the market,” Mr Abortta said.
He called for subsidies on critical inputs such as fertiliser, seeds, and agrochemicals, and suggested tax exemptions on imported agricultural machinery to reduce operational costs.
Mr Abortta also urged government to implement policies guaranteeing farmers access to land for longer periods, ideally a minimum of five years to encourage investment in land development and improved yields.
He stressed that addressing these challenges across policy, financing, production, and partnerships would significantly reduce costs, improve efficiency, and strengthen the competitiveness of Ghana’s rice sector.
