Ghana’s efforts to achieve rice self-sufficiency are under renewed threat as the Crops Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-CRI) raises concerns over declining support for local production and emerging structural bottlenecks within the value chain.
Professor Maxwell Darko Asante, Director of CSIR-CRI, has cautioned that without urgent policy and financial interventions, Ghana could face significant disruptions in domestic rice production, with broader implications for food security and import substitution targets.
Speaking at Dawhenya, Professor Asante stressed that the country’s rice sector was approaching a critical point, where inadequate support systems risk undermining years of investment in local capacity building.
He called on the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to prioritise support for rice farmers, particularly in scaling up production and ensuring market access for inputs such as certified seedlings.
A major concern highlighted by the CSIR-CRI Director is the limited uptake of certified rice seedlings produced by farmers at the Dawhenya Irrigation Scheme, currently the only centre producing such seedlings at scale in Ghana.
Despite significant investment by farmers, government procurement has reportedly stalled, leaving large volumes of seedlings unsold.
According to Professor Asante, this gap in demand is creating financial strain for producers, many of whom have committed substantial resources to seed production in anticipation of government-backed programmes.
“This situation is discouraging for farmers who have invested heavily in production but lack a guaranteed market to absorb their output,” he noted.
Beyond input market challenges, Professor Asante also raised concerns about distortions within the rice and maize value chains.
He alleged that some industry players may be contributing to artificial gluts in the market, a development that ultimately sustains import dependency at the expense of local producers.
He emphasised the need for stronger regulatory oversight and clearer policy direction to protect domestic farmers and ensure fair competition within the sector.
At the operational level, the Chairman of the Dawhenya Irrigation Scheme, Mr Richard Afleh, described mounting cost pressures that threaten the viability of farming activities. Chief among these is the rising cost of electricity, which is critical for irrigation.
Mr Afleh disclosed that the scheme had recently received an electricity bill of GH¢90,000 from the Electricity Company of Ghana, a development he said could force a shutdown if unresolved.
“If the issue of high electricity tariffs is not addressed, operations may come to a halt, which would significantly disrupt rice production,” he warned.
In addition to cost challenges, the scheme is also grappling with land encroachment by private developers, further reducing available acreage for cultivation and threatening long-term sustainability.
Industry observers note that these challenges come at a critical time when Ghana is intensifying efforts to reduce its rice import bill and boost local production under various agricultural modernisation initiatives.
However, the concerns raised by CSIR-CRI suggest that without coordinated policy action, targeted subsidies, and enforcement of land protection measures, the country’s rice self-sufficiency agenda could face significant setbacks.
The situation underscores the need for a more integrated approach that aligns production, input supply, pricing, and market access to build a resilient and competitive rice sector.
