In line with the President Akuffo-Addo Government’s quest to reduce food importation and promote the consumption of Ghana made goods, three (3) State Agencies are partnering with the Bono East Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) to begin large scale local rice production in the Kintampo North Municipality.
The three agencies include the National Service Secretariat (NSS), Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and Crops Research Institute under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-CRI).
Addressing the media in Techiman after the Bono East Regional Minister led high powered delegations from these Government agencies to visit the proposed farmlands (Rice valleys), Mr Kwasi Adu-Gyan revealed that the region was blessed with over 44,000 hectares of lands viable for rice cultivation at the Kintampo North enclave and Pru East as well as the West areas.
He, therefore, called on other interested investors both home and abroad to take advantage and venture into the commercial rice project in the region.
For his part, Mr Isaac Baffoe Ameyaw, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Kintampo North pledged the Assembly’s full support for the project as it will create several thousand jobs in the rice production value-chain while rice processing factories in the country would readily have raw materials on a sustainable basis and also improve the local economy of Kintampo, Bono East region and Ghana at large.
Rev Dr Raphael Bam, Director in charge of Cereals Division at the Crops Research Institute commended Mr Kwasi Adu-Gyan for this laudable initiative and said they discussed with the Bono East Regional Minister issues regarding land preparations, seedlings, and modernization or mechanisation among others to quickly kick-start the project this year.
Finally, Mr Oxford Osei Bonsu, Director of Projects at the National Service Secretariat revealed that it was expected that the pilot cultivation of about 3,000 hectares would begin this very farming season for both local consumption and export to earn Ghana more foreign exchange.
