The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is set to provide financing worth GH¢35 million to support the development of Ghana’s rice industry.
Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, disclosed the development in a Facebook post on Tuesday, May 12.
According to the minister, the funding will support the construction of a modern rice seed production facility in northern Ghana aimed at improving access to high-quality rice seeds to boost productivity in the sector.
The project will also include training programmes for stakeholders across the rice value chain on modern agricultural practices and the use of new machinery.
“This initiative should contribute significantly to the development of Ghana’s rice sector by ensuring access to high-quality seeds, strengthening the skills of irrigation scheme managers, and training farmers in the use of new machinery,” Mr. Opoku stated.
Government has not yet announced the exact location of the facility or the commencement date for construction works.
The intervention forms part of efforts to improve local rice production and reduce Ghana’s dependence on imports.
According to the latest grain market report by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Ghana produced about 900,000 tonnes of milled rice in the 2025/2026 season, while domestic demand reached nearly 1.9 million tonnes, leaving the country reliant on imports to meet more than half of its consumption needs.