The Government of Japan has provided a US$2.5 million grant to support Ghana’s rice value chain with machinery and equipment aimed at improving seed production and processing.
The grant is being implemented under Japan’s CARD project — Enhancement of Rice Seed Production Capacity — as part of efforts to increase the availability of quality rice seed and improve production efficiency.
Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku said the grant would finance the procurement of eight combined harvesters, eight trucks for transporting the harvesters, eight seed transport trucks and 11 seed-cleaning machines.
The package will also include equipment for maintaining the seed-cleaning machines and combined harvesters, air blowers and dusters, high-pressure cleaners, transformers and a vehicle for monitoring and supervision. Pasted markdown
The equipment is expected to arrive in Ghana in November 2026.
Mr Opoku said the intervention is intended to complement other government and development-partner initiatives aimed at closing Ghana’s rice production deficit and improving the quality of locally produced rice.
He said the equipment would help strengthen the rice value chain from seed production through harvesting and processing, while training would also be provided to value-chain actors to improve quality and competitiveness. Pasted markdown
The Japanese support comes as Ghana seeks to reduce its dependence on imported rice. According to the Ministry, local production currently meets about 56 per cent of national demand, leaving a 44 per cent shortfall that is imported. Pasted markdown
The government has set 2028 as its target for achieving rice self-sufficiency and plans to combine increased local production with measures to regulate imports.
Mr Opoku urged beneficiaries to use the equipment for its intended purpose, saying the success of the intervention would depend on the effective use of the resources provided.