Fumesua: Rice Farmers, millers, aggregators, seed producers, and other key value-chain actors have received training on good agronomic practices. Selected beneficiaries were taken through seed purity and varietal selection, land preparation, soil and water management, fertilization and nutrition, post-harvest handling of rice seeds, as well as weed control in rice farming.
According to Ghana News Agency, the training was organized by the Crops Research Institute under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-CRI) as part of the Korea-Africa Food and Agriculture Cooperation Initiative (KAFACI) Rice project. The goal of the KAFACI Rice project is to increase rice productivity by developing and sharing high-yielding Tongil-type rice varieties and helping scale proven agricultural technologies to farmers.
Over the past decade, the project has helped CSIR-CRI release more than 10 rice varieties, which include both upland and lowland types. Some of these varieties are climate-smart and popular among farmers, including CRI-Agyapa - a lowland rice variety that matures early (105 - 115 days). As part of the training, participants visited the technology park and field for hands-on learning.
Dr. Kirpal Agyemang Ofosu, a Research Scientist and Rice Breeder at CRI, emphasized the importance of rice as a commodity and the need for continued research to develop preferred varieties for consumers. He noted the significant gap between research yields, around 8.0 tonnes/ha, and the much lower yields of 3.5 tonnes/ha on farmers' fields. Dr. Ofosu highlighted the institute's role in educating farmers to bridge this gap and improve their yields, which would also help reduce Ghana's rice importation costs.
He praised government initiatives to expand local rice production and stressed the need for a regular supply of inputs to farmers to lower production costs. Dr. Ofosu also urged farmers to acquire seeds from reputable sources like research institutions and certified seed producers to maintain the integrity of cultivated varieties.
Professor Maxwell Darko Asante, Director of CSIR-CRI, reassured value-chain actors that researchers would continue to develop technologies related to crop varieties, agronomy, pest and weed management, and post-harvest management to help Ghana achieve rice self-sufficiency. He called on the government to create a policy environment that supports farmers, particularly in addressing the current rice glut, ensuring farmers can sell their products and prepare for the next cultivation season.