A consortium of agricultural partners has launched a three-year initiative aimed at transforming rice production and strengthening the value chain in Ghana’s middle-belt ecological zone.
The project, titled “Enhancing the Competitiveness of Rice Production, Processing and Marketing in Ghana”, is being spearheaded by the John A. Kufuor Foundation, Hopeline Institute, and FarmWallet Limited, with funding from the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).
Running from 2025 to 2027, the initiative targets critical challenges such as low yields, poor farming practices, limited access to mechanisation and finance, and weak market linkages. Its goal is to raise average yields from the national 2.5–3.5 metric tonnes per hectare to at least 4.5 metric tonnes.
The project will also strengthen agribusiness skills for small and medium enterprises, expand access to finance for actors along the value chain, and improve market channels between producers and buyers. Increasing consumer awareness and preference for locally produced rice is also a key objective.
Currently, Ghana produces only 47 percent of its 1.5 million metric tonnes of rice demand, leaving a significant gap filled by imports.
According to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), this reliance on imports undermines both national food security and economic resilience.
Gaps in Ghana’s rice sector include low productivity, poor access to mechanisation and extension services, limited structured markets, and exposure to climate shocks such as prolonged droughts. While policies exist to support the sector, weak implementation continues to be a major hurdle.
Under the partnership, the Foundation will focus on policy, advocacy, and governance, including coordinating national and regional rice development strategies.
The Hopeline Institute will facilitate farmer mobilisation, training, and technology adoption, while FarmWallet Limited will strengthen fintech solutions and financial linkages for farmers and processors.
At the project’s inception meeting in Kumasi, Mr. Godfrey Appiah Acheampong, Acting Ashanti Regional Director of Agriculture, assured MoFA’s support through training programmes, demonstration farms, and marketing techniques.
He called on rice farmers to embrace the project and scale up their production.
The launch brought together rice farmers, processors, agricultural officers, and other stakeholders from selected districts in the Ashanti Region, all seeking to build a more competitive and sustainable rice sector for Ghana.
