To increase rice production, the administration of the Rice Value Chain Improvement Project (RVCIP), which is being carried out with assistance from the Korean government, has sent 2,500 kg (2.5 tonnes) of high-quality, certified rice seeds to the Central Regional Coordinating Council.
The shipment, which is disease resistant and high producing, will be given out to rice farmers and other interested organizations to encourage rice cultivation in the area.
The action is another catalyst for the region’s rice revolution, which aims to establish the area as a significant hub for the nation’s rice production.
The entire amount of certified seeds distributed by the RVCIP to farmers in the area up to this consignment is approximately 25,000 kilogramme (kg).
The Korean International Cooperation Agency is funding the RVCIP, a $8 million initiative (KOICA).
The RVCIP
The RVCIP is a project to enhance the Central Region’s rice value chain that was introduced in June 2021.
The primary objective of the project, which is funded by the Korean government through KOICA, is to improve the quality of life for farmers in the area through increased rice production, improved rice processing and packaging, strengthened capacity for farmer-based organizations, and marketing assistance.
With 765 farmers participating, the initiative is being carried out in five districts of the Central Region. The districts that will benefit from it are Gomoa East, Assin Central, Assin North, Assin South, and Twifo Atti-Morkwa.
The “Central Region Movement for Planting One More Tree” initiative, a subsidiary project of the RVCIP, was created to increase the RVCIP’s influence throughout the region.
In his remarks during the occasion, KOICA’s Country Director Moon Heon Kong emphasized that rice had evolved into a crucial component of the Ghanaian diet and that it now offered benefits far beyond its traditional uses.
According to him, rice has grown in importance and is helping Ghanaians meet their nutritional and food security needs.
He said that programs like the Central Region Movement for Planting One More Square Metre of Rice for the Next Generation may drastically lower the estimated $500 million used to import rice into the Ghanaian market.
“This is a progressive move that will eventually aid in the preservation of the nation’s hard-earned foreign currency, help create jobs with livelihoods centered on value chain activities, and aid in local economic development.”
He praised Mrs. Assan for her enthusiasm for the project, saying it will help the nation become self-sufficient in the production of rice, eradicate hunger, and alleviate poverty.
The central regional minister, Mrs. Julina Marigold Assan, asked everyone to take an interest in and take part in the initiative to improve food security and advance health.
She noted that the area’s arable soils were suitable for growing rice and claimed that with perseverance and constant work, the region could produce enough rice for both itself and the nation.