Agra: Mr Sunil Dahiya, the Senior Program Officer for Inclusive Markets and Trade at AGRA, has urged for intensified efforts to improve the quality and competitiveness of locally produced rice in Ghana. He emphasized the importance of rice as a critical staple in the region, advocating for sustained investment and strategic focus to enhance its production.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Dahiya addressed these issues during a Breakfast Dialogue and Policy Discussion in Accra, themed 'Eat Ghana Rice Campaign' and 'Promoting Ghana Rice Consumption for National Food Security and Economic Growth.' He highlighted AGRA's significant investment of over $40 million in rice development across Africa, with a notable portion directed towards Ghana.
Mr. Dahiya pointed out that despite progress in increasing rice production, challenges pertaining to quality and consistency hinder the competitiveness of local rice against imports. He stressed the necessity of consistent quality, stating that every Ghanaian deserves access to quality food consistently.
He advocated for investments in modern processing equipment and systems to meet consumer expectations and underscored the need for scaling up production to achieve economies of scale. He noted that high production costs and reliance on imported equipment and labor-intensive processes affect competitiveness.
Mr. Dahiya called for stronger collaboration among government, development partners, and the private sector to enhance the rice value chain. He also emphasized the importance of effective branding and awareness campaigns to promote the consumption of locally produced rice and encourage Ghanaians to prioritize home-grown products.
Mr. Sewu Kwadzo Abortta, an Associate with Farmer Globale, advocated for targeted subsidies and policy reforms across the value chain to boost local production and competitiveness. He highlighted the significance of improving productivity and reducing production costs to enable local farmers to compete with imported rice.
Mr. Abortta, also a Farmer Lawyer, noted that increasing yields could allow farmers to offer rice at more competitive prices compared to imported varieties. He emphasized the need for subsidies on key inputs like fertilizer and suggested tax exemptions on imported agricultural machinery to reduce operational costs.
He called for policies guaranteeing farmers access to land for extended periods to encourage investment in land development and yield improvements. Mr. Abortta stressed that addressing these challenges holistically from policy and financing to production and partnerships would significantly reduce costs and enhance the competitiveness of Ghana's rice sector.