Ghana has announced plans to achieve rice self-sufficiency by 2028 as the government intensifies efforts to increase domestic agricultural production and reduce the country’s dependence on imported rice.
The initiative is expected to increase national rice production to 3.31 million metric tonnes through improved farming practices, mechanisation, better-quality seeds and investments in processing and storage facilities.
Ghana’s Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, disclosed the target as part of the government’s broader strategy to strengthen food security and improve the performance of the agricultural sector.
The initiative is being implemented under the government’s Feed Ghana Programme, which seeks to increase domestic food production and reduce the amount of foreign exchange spent on importing agricultural products.
A major component of the plan is the US$18.8 million Regional West Africa Resilient Rice Value Chains Development Project, also known as the REWARD Project.
The project is funded through a grant from the African Development Bank and is designed to improve rice production across selected farming communities.
According to the minister, the programme will support the development of approximately 3,200 hectares of land for rice cultivation.
It will also seek to increase rice yields from the current 3.5 tonnes per hectare to 4.5 tonnes per hectare through improved agricultural methods and access to modern farming equipment.
More than 20,000 smallholder farmers are expected to benefit from the initiative.
The beneficiary areas include Tamale Metropolitan, Mion, Savelugu, East Mamprusi, West Gonja, Bawku West, Wa Municipal, Sissala East and Nandom.
The government intends to provide farmers with improved access to essential agricultural equipment, including rotary tillers, seed drills, mini crawler combine harvesters, rice transplanters and boom sprayers.
These machines are expected to reduce the amount of manual labour required during farming activities, improve productivity and help farmers cultivate larger areas of land.
The government also plans to strengthen the availability of quality rice seeds and improve access to processing and storage facilities.
These interventions are important because increasing agricultural production requires more than expanding cultivated land.
Farmers also need reliable access to seeds, fertilisers, irrigation facilities, machinery, processing equipment and markets where they can sell their produce.
Ghana’s rice consumption has continued to grow as population increases, urbanisation expands and consumer preferences change.
Rice has become the country’s second most important cereal after maize, creating growing demand for both locally produced and imported varieties.
According to the minister, domestic rice production currently meets approximately 56 per cent of national demand, leaving the country dependent on imports for the remaining 44 per cent.
The country’s annual rice import expenditure is estimated at between US$320 million and US$500 million.
The government believes that reducing this dependence could help retain more foreign exchange within the domestic economy while creating additional income opportunities for farmers, processors and traders.
The reported production figures show that Ghana’s milled rice output increased from approximately 650,000 tonnes to 900,000 tonnes in 2024 and further to 960,000 tonnes in 2025.
Despite this improvement, the government believes additional investment is necessary to close the gap between domestic production and national consumption.
Japan has also provided a grant of ¥394 million, equivalent to approximately US$2.49 million, to support rice seed production through equipment and technical assistance.
Another proposed intervention involves linking rice import quotas to investments in local production.
Under the arrangement, importers could be encouraged to establish partnerships with domestic farmers and rice producers to strengthen the local supply chain.
This approach is intended to create stronger connections between agricultural production and commercial distribution.
For Ghana’s agricultural sector, achieving rice self-sufficiency could have significant economic benefits.
Increased production could create employment opportunities in rural communities, improve farmers’ incomes and encourage investment in food processing and agricultural logistics.
It could also reduce pressure on foreign exchange reserves by limiting the amount of dollars required to finance rice imports.
However, achieving the 2028 target will require sustained investment and effective implementation across the agricultural value chain.
Access to irrigation, reliable electricity, affordable financing and modern storage facilities will remain important to ensuring that increased production translates into a stable domestic rice supply.
The government is therefore expected to continue working with development partners, farmers and private-sector investors to improve agricultural productivity.
Ghana’s rice strategy reflects a broader effort across Africa to strengthen food security, reduce dependence on imports and develop local agricultural industries.
