World Bank To Support Rice Farming

Vice President John Dramani Mahama, yesterday announced that the government is negotiating with the World Bank to support Ghanaian farmers to increase rice production.

He said, when the agreement is sealed, the World Bank will support in the transportation of water from the lower Volta to irrigate arable rice farm lands in the Accra plains.

Vice President Mahama made the announcement when he inspected rice farms of Brazil Agro-Investment limited, a solely Brazilian organisation, engaged in rice production in Dabala in the Volta Region.

The Vice President said, prudent agricultural policies adopted a year ago by the NDC Government are yielding dividends as rice production has stepped up by 30 percent within a one-year period and hopes that it will further be increased to about 60 percent within the next two years.

He said, the government annually spends about 500million dollars on the importation of rice alone.

Vice President Mahama said that with the new measures of providing tractors and irrigation facilities to organised farmers in the country, government can save about 300 million dollars in the next three years.

He gave the assurance that the government will continue to support all private initiatives that are geared towards the development of every Ghanaian in the country.

Mr. Leor Valer, Director of the rice company, said its initial 150-hectare rice farm is encouraging and hopes to increase the production to 480 hectares in the next few months in the Volta Region.

He said, the company is targeting to cultivate 5000 hectares of rice in the next five years in the country and appealed to the government to consider controlling the importation of rice into the country to boost local production.

Mr. Valer said that the rice farms have created jobs for the people in the area as many of them are now engaged in sewing, fertilisation, fishing, harvesting, milling, packaging among other activities.

He said, rice has become a major staple food for Ghanaians and called on the government to protect local rice production.

Source: GNA