Personal sector urged to help rice farmers with mechanisation companies

Coverage Advisor on the John A. Kufuor Basis, Nana Ama Oppong-Duah, is urging non-public corporations within the agriculture mechanisation sector to help rice farmers within the nation.

She says mechanisation is a key service rice farmers want if the nation can grow to be self-sufficient in rice manufacturing.

Nana Oppong–Duah says the muse and different companions are working with the Ministry of Meals and Agriculture to get that extremely wanted service for farmers.

“We even have a mechanisation element which we have been speaking about to have the ability to establish mechanisation service suppliers and hyperlink them on to rice and cassava farmers to have the ability to have a extra environment friendly worth chain within the districts,” she defined.

“The benefit of that is that we’re partnering with non-public sector actors like TATA, John Deere, Troto Tractor, and naturally a number of the authorities our bodies to have the ability to convey this service to farmers,” she added.

Nana Oppong–Duah was talking to the media at a studying occasion on the Ghana Rice Undertaking in Accra.

The occasion noticed the disclosing of findings from analysis carried out in about 140 districts to establish gaps in native rice manufacturing following the implementation of the “Public-Personal Partnership for Aggressive and Inclusive Rice Worth Chain Growth: Planting for Meals and Jobs (PFJ) Rice Chapter Undertaking.”

The Alliance for a Inexperienced Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is funding the venture to enhance the rice worth chain so Ghana is much less depending on imported rice.

The Ministry of Meals and Agriculture, the John A. Kufuor Basis, Intervale Ghana, Hopeline Institute, Sparkx Farms and Volta Metropolis Farms are the consortium companions implementing it.

“We’re coaching the service suppliers and mapping them primarily based on the bodily location of farmers. So, we’re coaching service suppliers who’re situated in areas the place farmers are. We began with the farmer database. And so, farmers are aligned to service suppliers in clusters,” Madam Oppong-Duah defined.

“We’re working with Ghana Rice Inter-professional Physique (GRIB) as a result of they’re non-public sector primarily. That could be a sustainability measure. So, we’re facilitating the method for the non-public sector actors to fulfill. This assembly is bringing companions collectively so we will be taught,” she added.

The coverage advisor additionally famous the necessity for efficient coordination within the rice sector to make sure farmers’ availability of inputs and markets. “One of many issues is coordination. How will we coordinate?

“Some farmers don’t even know enter sellers are close by. If there’s rice within the district, how will we transfer to the miller? After we convey them collectively, the synergy involves play,” she noticed.

She additionally famous the necessity for farmers to have entry to improved seeds and funding. “We advocated for presidency to place collectively a fund for the rice sector. And the disbursement for that has taken place,” Madam Oppong Duah defined.

President of GRIB Nana Agyei Ayeh recognized difficulties with land preparation and funding as key challenges militating in opposition to efforts to spice up native rice manufacturing within the nation.

“GRIB is advocating for land growth first. That’s the basis. If you’ll be able to develop the land, that’s the place all the things will likely be dictated,” Nana Ayeh noticed.

“Rice is a particular crop. So earlier than you begin the rice, develop the land. After I say the event of land, it’s totally different from, let’s say, doing cassava. With rice, it’s essential go in there, clear the land, go deep and take away stumps for correct mechanisation like mix harvesters and rooters and energy turners to work on the land. With out that, you can’t accomplish that a lot,” he defined.

On the excessive price of loans, he stated, “cash could be very costly in Ghana. We’re wanting on the authorities to do one thing on the rate of interest. “Because it stands now, with the 25 per cent rate of interest, it is extremely tough.

“We’re competing with people who find themselves getting 5%. In Thailand as an illustration, their curiosity, price is so low. So how are you going to be a rice farmer right here and compete with a farmer from Thailand?” he quizzed.