‘Operation Feed Yourself’ cut Ghana’s rice imports to zero in 1975 and 1976 – Sam Jonah

Former University of Cape Coast Chancellor Sir Sam Jonah has praised former Ghanaian military leader General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong's "Operation Feed Yourself" for ending the country's rice imports in 1975 and 1976. Speaking at a lecture honoring Acheampong's legacy, Sir Sam highlighted how the program demonstrated the impact of national leadership when citizens produce the food the nation consumes.

The initiative originated from a question posed by Acheampong during budget reviews, questioning why Ghana was purchasing rice from abroad. Led by Colonel Frank Bernasko, the program mobilized chiefs, communities, and citizens across Ghana. The government provided affordable farming tools like cutlasses, hoes, fertilizers, and seeds, while constructing irrigation dams to bolster production.

The success of the campaign extended far beyond increased rice production. Northern Ghana's farmers started exporting rice and tomatoes to neighboring Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso), and Tamale earned the nickname "Rice City." The effects permeated various aspects of society, with secondary schools cultivating their own food, university students volunteering to harvest sugar cane, and factory workers and bank managers farming during weekends.

Sir Sam emphasized that this period marked the only instance when educated Ghanaians proudly identified as farmers.

Sir Sam argued that a nation's ability to feed itself is fundamental to its development. He regarded Operation Feed Yourself as a lasting part of Acheampong's legacy and noted that subsequent governments have pledged to revive the program. In the context of a broader evaluation of Acheampong's record, Sir Sam made it clear that acknowledging the former military leader's policies does not equate to endorsing the 1972 coup that placed him in power.