FESF Foundation calls for stronger rice production to boost food security

The FESF Foundation has urged Ghana to invest more in its rice sector, highlighting its importance for food security and economic growth. They argue that Ghana must go beyond just increasing rice production and focus on enhancing productivity, quality, irrigation, mechanization, storage, processing, and access to finance. This statement was delivered at the 5th FESF Foundation Food Security Lecture, themed "Rice: A Global Crop for Food Security and Economic Growth."

Rice is a crucial staple food for millions worldwide, supporting various roles in the agricultural value chain like farming, processing, trading, and transportation. However, Ghana currently heavily relies on rice imports. Over the past 21 years, Ghana's rice import bill surged from GH¢104 million in 2004 to a staggering GH¢3.23 billion in 2024, according to data presented by the Foundation.

This dramatic increase is partly due to global shocks, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2022 commodity price shock, and Vietnam's export restrictions in 2023, which directly impacted Ghana's import bill and household spending on rice. The Foundation sees this situation as both a challenge and an opportunity for Ghana. By reducing dependence on imported rice, Ghana could conserve foreign exchange, generate jobs, boost rural economies, and stimulate overall economic growth.

They emphasize that food security is not merely about producing enough food but ensuring food is available, affordable, accessible, nutritious, and safe. This requires investment across the entire food system, from production to consumption. The Foundation views food security as a national security issue, asserting that a country's ability to feed its population reliably enhances its resilience, especially during crises.

They believe Ghana's rice sector holds the potential to drive significant economic transformation, attracting investments, creating jobs for the youth and women, supporting small-scale farmers, and fostering agro-processing growth. However, achieving these benefits necessitates stronger collaboration among the government, farmers, financial institutions, researchers, development partners, and the private sector.

The Foundation also calls for policies that encourage investments, risk-reducing financing systems for farmers, and research tailored to producers' needs. They warn of the looming threat of climate change, citing unpredictable rainfall, floods, droughts, rising temperatures, pests, and diseases as challenges that farmers will face more frequently.

Therefore, they call for increased investment in irrigation, climate-smart technologies, improved rice varieties, and sustainable land and water management. The Foundation hopes the discussions at the lecture will yield practical recommendations to address these critical issues.