After years of heavy rice importation, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) believes Ghana can flip the script, from a rice-importing nation to a rice-exporting powerhouse, if it sets its sights higher and acts boldly.
For years, Ghana has spent hundreds of millions of dollars importing rice, a food that has become a staple and that almost every Ghanaian loves and eats almost every day.
Yet experts say this should not be the case. According to a new IFS report, Ghana’s rice story is one of untapped potential. In 2008, Ghana produced just over 181,000 metric tons of rice. By 2018, that figure had tripled to more than 530,000 metric tons, a remarkable achievement by any measure.
Yet, instead of importing less, Ghana imported even more rice, from about 395,000 metric tons in 2008 to over 830,000 metric tons a decade later. The question the IFS raises is simple: how can a country grow more rice but still depend so heavily on imports?
The problem, the report says, lies in Ghana’s “low ambition.” While countries like Thailand and Vietnam have turned rice into billion-dollar export industries, Ghana has limited itself to just meeting local demand. The IFS is urging the government to set a new, bolder goal to make Ghana a major net exporter of rice in the medium term.
The Potential Is Huge
The IFS says Ghana has the land, labour, and climate to make it happen. The country has an estimated 5.9 million hectares of fertile land that could be used for rice production. Yet, as of now, less than 3 percent of that is actually used for growing rice.
If Ghana could cultivate just that available land and match Vietnam’s average yield of six tons per hectare, it could produce about 35 million tons of rice a year. That’s more than 25 times what the country currently produces and nearly enough to rival some of the world’s biggest rice producers.
Even with smaller gains, the transformation could be huge. The IFS estimates that if Ghana had produced just 7.4 million metric tons of rice in 2022, it could have exported 6.6 million tons, earning billions in foreign exchange while feeding its own population.
This is the Right
The global rice market is booming. According to international market analysts, global rice demand is expected to rise by more than US$60 billion between 2025 and 2030. By 2050, the world’s population could reach nearly 11 billion. This means more mouths to feed and more opportunities for rice-exporting nations.
“The government of Ghana should, therefore, set a more ambitious goal of Ghana becoming a major net exporter of rice in the medium term. Ghana should immediately begin to work towards attaining this goal, using the strategies recommended below. The good news is that international demand for rice is very strong, and it is expected to significantly increase in the years and decades ahead,” the report indicated.
What Needs to Change
To achieve this dream, Ghana must invest in large-scale rice production, modern irrigation systems, and efficient milling facilities. Farmers must also receive better training, improved seed varieties, and easier access to credit. Government policies, too, must be bold, targeting not just food security, but wealth creation through exports.
The IFS calls for a clear national plan that moves beyond slogans and targets measurable results. IFS says the country has already proven that it has the capacity, and now it’s time to produce smarter and think globally.
If Ghana takes this path, it could soon be known not for importing rice, but for exporting it, feeding not only its people but also the world, while earning valuable income for its economy.
