We all celebrated Farmers’ Day earlier this month under the theme, “Feed Ghana, Eat Ghana, Secure the Future.” It was exciting to celebrate this great day with an emphasis on local food production, consumption, and self-sufficiency for a resilient economy.

At the ‘Eat Ghana Rice Campaign’, the theme for the celebration resonated with what we have been campaigning for all this while: We should all eat Ghana Rice. Rice is no longer a luxury food in Ghana.

It is a staple consumed daily in households across the country. Over the past decade, domestic paddy rice production has grown impressively from 302,000 metric tonnes in 2010 to nearly 987,000 metric tonnes in 2023.

This growth reflects the hard work of our farmers and the impact of government interventions in seeds, mechanization, irrigation, and input support.

Yet, despite this remarkable progress, Ghana continues to spend over GHS 3 billion each year importing rice.

This is money that could stay in our country to support our own farmers, processors, transporters, market women, and the entire rice value chain. It is money that could strengthen rural economies, create jobs for our youth, and build a more resilient agricultural sector.

This is why the ‘Eat Ghana Rice Campaign’ is so important. This is also why we all need to join this campaign to encourage consumption of Ghana rice.

The campaign speaks directly to our shared mission to reduce import dependency, promote agro-processing, build local industry, and ensure food security.

The campaign sits squarely within the objectives of the Feed Ghana Programme, the 24-Hour Economy Policy, and our commitments under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement.

This campaign is about shaping behaviour, correcting misconceptions, and building national pride. The truth is that Ghana Rice brands have seen tremendous improvements over the years. The majority are clean, well-processed, beautifully polished, meet Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) standards, and cooks perfectly for Jollof, Waakye, and plain rice dishes.

It is time to bury the old myth that Ghana rice contains stones or is inferior. That is no longer the reality. Ghana Rice brands such as Mama Gold, Striker Gold, Efie Ne Fie, Nana’s Rice, Champion, Avalavi Perfume Rice, Copa, Star, Asafoods, Wofa K, Alsum, among others, are of the kind of quality that can match or is even better than those imported from other nations into Ghana.

Special appeal

I want to use this opportunity to make a special appeal to corporate entities and leaders who are planning on providing their staff with gifts of rice and chicken during this festive season. I humbly urge all to make Ghana Rice your family’s first choice, and to show leadership by purchasing Ghana Rice for your friends and workers, especially during the Christmas and New Year festivities.

Ghana Rice meets the highest expectations of today’s consumer. Across the country, millers and processors are delivering rice that is clean, nutritious, and processed to international standards, giving families the confidence that every grain is safe and of superior quality.

Choosing Ghana Rice is a great investment in our nation. Every bag purchased helps grow the local economy, supports Ghanaian farmers and their families, and keeps income circulating right here at home.

Eating Ghana Rice is also an act of national pride. It reflects our belief in the strength of our people, our farms, and our ability to produce food that competes with the best in the world. Beyond pride, consumers also enjoy real value.

Ghana Rice offers the taste, aroma, and quality every household desire, ensuring great meals at a good price. And because our Ghana Rice brands are fresh and produced close to home, they retain their natural nutrients, contributing meaningfully to healthy and balanced diets.

Choosing Ghana Rice means choosing quality, supporting livelihoods, celebrating our identity, and nourishing our families, all with one simple purchase.

To the Ghanaian public, I say: Let us all choose Ghana Rice. Every bag you buy supports a farmer. Every meal you cook strengthens our economy. And every choice you make brings us closer to a Ghana that is self-reliant, prosperous, and proud.

Call to action

We appreciate the steps taken by the Government of Ghana to help ensure local farmers are able to gain value for their investments in the rice sector. But there is more that needs to be done. Government needs to leverage its influence to boost local demand.

It is a great move that President John Mahama has instructed key ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Education, to prioritize the procurement of Ghana-grown food products such as rice and eggs for schools, prisons, and other public institutions. Let all agencies respect the directive and support Ghanaian farmers.

The security agencies should also do well to clamp down on the illegal importation of rice into the country so our local farmers can favourably compete. With unity, determination, and national commitment, we can transform our rice sector into one of the pillars of Ghana’s agricultural future.

Let me end by commending AGRA, The John A. Kufuor Foundation, FarmWallet, Hopeline Institute, Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana, Competitive African Rice Platform, and all the other partners for this great initiative – the Eat Ghana Rice campaign. Let us all continue to do our best to make Ghana Rice the preferred choice of consumers. Ghana Rice – Our Grain, Our Pride.