Ghana has received 370 tonnes of certified rice seed to boost local rice production and cut down on imports. The seeds were handed over at a ceremony at the Dawhenya Irrigation Scheme in Ningo-Prampram.
The supply comes under the Korea-funded K-RiceBelt Project, which supports Ghana with high-quality rice seed developed by CSIR’s Crops Research Institute with technical assistance from Korea’s Rural Development Administration. The new varieties — AGRA Rice, Legon Rice 1, KoreaMo and Agyapa — offer higher yields and better grain quality.
The K-RiceBelt Project, running from 2023 to 2027, aims to strengthen Ghana’s rice value chain by giving farmers free certified seed. So far, 850 tonnes have been distributed. By the end of the project, 5,000 tonnes will be supplied, enough to plant about 100,000 hectares.
Speaking at the event, Dr Young Jin Kim, Director of the KOPIA Ghana Centre, said the milestone would help Ghana move closer to rice self-sufficiency. Officials from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture also thanked the Korean government, saying Ghana is currently 51 percent self-sufficient in rice production and that improved seeds are vital to reducing imports.
