The Chief Executive Officer of the Asian African Consortium, Mrs. Adelaide Araba Agyepong, has called for an all hands-on-deck approach to make the President’s vision of boosting rice production in Ghana a reality.

She said the vision of ending rice importation in Ghana goes beyond the Jospong Group of Companies.

“I am happy to mention that anywhere we have been stake holders both in Ghana and Thai Land have shown great support and enthusiasm for this project evidencing that the vision of ending the rice importation in Ghana is beyond Jospong Group of Companies

“We continue to implore all hands on deck to make this vision reality. The forging of strategic partnerships with all sector players is fundamental for the success of this project,” she said.

She made this call at Thailand-Ghana Business Conference aimed at revolutionalising rice production in Ghana in Thailand Bangkok on ….

 Highlighting efforts her outfit has made since the inception of the rice project in 2022, she said “ a national rice office for the project has been set up in Accra and fully furnished. Three zonal offices in Koforidua, Kumasi, and Tamale, for the southern, middle, and northern belt respectively, will also be ready soon for the projects.

 “Adequate and suitable lands have been acquired across the country and ready for cultivation, as we all join hands to make history. It is my hope that this visit will help concretize and firm up their plans for implementation as soon as we get back to Ghana."

The conference brought together stakeholders in Thai rice production chain, representatives from the ministry of food and agriculture, and representatives from the Josphong group of companies.

For his part, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, in Charge of Crops, Yaw Addo Frimpong, encouraged the investors in the Thailand rice value chain to come and invest in Ghana.

“So much in terms of marketing in our neighboring countries, that whatever we produce will be absorbed there and we will still require the Thai rice because there are people in Ghana who have to acquire the taste for Thai rice that no matter what we do, they will still consume Thai rice.

“So, that line of trade will still be there. We want to satisfy our local consumption gap and extend it to our neighbors, and when, companies here support Jospong, to meet the targets. That's where the win-win situation is because these companies are also going to be beneficiaries of whatever we produce in excess, which we will send to our neighboring countries, so there's nothing to fear.

Ghana's consumption demand for rice is between 1.2 million and 1.4 million metric tons of rice per annum the partnership according to him is to reduce and huge gap difference.