Prez Mahama dialogues with AGRA board

Ghana’s rice import bill of about $500 million annually saw a reduction of about $200 million last year, President John Dramani Mahama has said.

The development, he explained, was the result of effective collaboration between the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, and the private sector to improve local production of the crop, which stood at about 60 per cent last year.

The nation had been spending an estimated $500 million annually on rice importation, but the President believed the quest to realise the twin goals of becoming self-sufficient in rice production and a net exporter of the crop were on course.

Courtesy call 

Speaking when board members of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) called on him at the Flagstaff House last Thursday, the President said, "We've targeted rice as a crop for which we want to increase production to feed ourselves and for export."

The huge importation of rice contributed to swelling the country's import bill, with the resultant pressure on the local currency.

President Mahama expressed the hope that with support from organisations such as AGRA, rice production in Ghana, would see a further increase. 

AGRA works to achieve a food sufficient and prosperous Africa through the promotion of rapid, sustainable agricultural growth based on smallholder farmers.

It is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Rockefeller Foundation.

Perception 

President Mahama touched on the perception in certain quarters of the country that agriculture was reserved for old people.

"Unfortunately, in our country, for many years people have always strived to get white-collar and blue-collar jobs and agriculture is looked upon as peasant agriculture, reserved for only old people in the rural areas. It is, therefore, nothing that the young ones seek to pursue'" he said.

However, through systematic development, including incentive packages from the government, the situation was changing, with many of the youth seeing agriculture as a profitable venture, he said.

The government, President Mahama said, was promoting agriculture with all seriousness, adding, "With partners such as AGRA, we are beginning to change that perception about agriculture and more people are getting into it as a business."

Maize was also a crop the government was paying serious attention to, the President said.

In 2013, Ghana had a successful season in which it produced a surplus of about 200,000 tonnes of the crop.

However, last year the rains were not too good and so the crop had not done well, compared to last two years, he said.

"So we have to keep an eye to ensure that we don't have any shortage, especially with the increase in poultry production when there is a corresponding increase in demand for maize," President Mahama added.

AGRA Chairman 

The Board Chairman of AGRA, Mr Strive Masiyiwa, said the organisation was keen on collaborating with the government to roll out programmes and projects that would boost smallholder farming.

He said Ghana's success story was an example for other African countries to follow.