By: Akua Oteng Amponsah
The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has made a strong appeal to the government to establish a Rice Development Board that will ensure active government interventions to transform rice production in Ghana.
According to data from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), yearly per-capita consumption of rice increased from 12.4 kg in 1980 to 14.5 kg in 2000. By 2022, consumption had reached 61.05 kg, significantly higher than the 32 kg recorded in 2010.
During a presentation on Wednesday October 15, 2025, covering a study on the Ghanaian rice sector titled “Increasing Importation of Rice in Ghana: Can the Country Transform Its Fortunes in the Rice Sector?”, the group drew lessons from Vietnam and Thailand, using them as case studies due to their successful rice production rankings in the world and likening Ghana’s situation to theirs.
The proposed Rice Development Board, like other government boards, will handle all government interventions in the rice sector, covering production, harvesting, milling, and storage.
Speaking during the presentation, Dr. Said Boakye, Senior Research Fellow and Acting Executive Director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), called for stronger government control of Ghana’s rice sector, taking over from the private sector, which had control handed over to it in the 1980s due to the implementation of structural adjustment programs.
“Since 1960, Ghana has tried to stop the importation of rice, but the rice sector continues to grapple with challenges. The private sector’s full control over the sector has yielded no results but rather worsened the situation” Dr. Boakye stated.
To succeed like Thailand and Vietnam, which faced similar challenges in the 1990s, and to ensure the rice sector performs well and engages in export, Dr. Boakye highlighted some challenges and pleaded for government involvement in Ghana’s rice sector.
“The government needs to set up firms producing chemical fertilizers with tax subsidies for private sectors producing locally manufactured fertilizers, as the usage of fertilizers by farmers is very low, affecting rice yield,” he stated.
Touching on the problem of seeds, Dr. Said noted that only about 3% of rice farmers in Ghana have easy access to certified rice seeds at an affordable price, unlike Vietnamese farmers, where about 80% plant certified seeds.
He further stated, “The Vietnamese government has invested heavily in irrigation facilities, while in Ghana, including those in the Volta Region, are on the verge of collapse. Vietnamese State-Owned Companies (SOCs) are also manufacturing tractors and combine harvesters, whereas Ghana imports these items yet is unable to meet weather demand.”
Among other things, he requested that the government set up firms producing chemical fertilizers and provide tax breaks and subsidies to private sectors producing locally manufactured fertilizers rather than importing them.
Having the government’s intervention in the rice sector will, according to Dr. Said, not only help the country produce enough to feed its population but also enable it to become a net exporter in West Africa and beyound, given its arable land and available labor that can be utilized in the sector.
The report launch drew diverse group of attendees, including rice farmers from Volta and Oti regions, development partners, farmer organizations, government agencies, and diplomats.
The Brazilian Ambassador to Ghana, Mariama Gonçalves Madeira, lauded IFS for the study and encouraged the government to implement policies that would boost the rice sector, drawing from Brazil’s experience of achieving large-scale rice production through robust government backing.
The Chairman of Competitive Africa Rice, Ghana Chapter, Mr. Yaw Adu Poku, highlighted that Ghana produces approximately 1.4 million metric tons of paddy rice but lacks the resources and capacity to produce up to half a million metric tons of rice, resulting in a significant gap.
He asserted that rice importation into Ghana costs over $1 billion annually, a situation unbeatable without government’s intervention.
Adu Poku emphasized that rice production requires deliberate government support, citing challenges such as irrigation, storage, and access to markets.
“Without active government intervention, discussions about rice production will remain mere talk,” he stressed.
Bismark Owusu Nortey, Executive Director of the Peasant Farmers Association, raised concerns about politicians taking over large farms, displacing smallholder farmers who are the backbone of the sector. He questioned whether this narrative aligns with countries like Thailand and Vietnam, where smallholder farmers significantly contribute to rice production.
Meanwhile, the Leader of the Nyankodo Farmers Association, Madam Rebecca Aboagye appealed for government support. The group of 41,000 farmers according to Madam Aboagye has harvested over 300 hectares of potatoes and rice in the Central Region but struggles to find buyers.
Madam Aboagye lamented that despite their hard work, they incur losses due to lack of support and exploitation by middlemen seeking personal gain.
The farmers urged the government to intervene and provide the necessary support to save the sector from future tragedy.
