AGRA and the John A. Kufuor Foundation have taken the Eat Ghana Rice Campaign to Parliament House, urging MPs and Ghanaians to choose and consume more Ghana rice this festive season.

The Ghana rice exhibition and tasting event in the foyer of Parliament House was led by the Chairman of the Food, Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs Committee, Dr Godfred Seidu Jasaw.

MPs and staff tasted plain rice, jollof rice, waakye, and other dishes made from various Ghana Rice brands.

“I think this campaign is timely for the potential of rice production. It will whet the appetite of Ghanaians for Ghana rice. These are all made from Ghana rice.

"The nutritional integrity is protected. Because there is no over-polishing of it. There is a lot of fibre. There are a lot of additional nutrients,” Dr Jasaw said.

He said Ghana Rice producers have shown they have the capacity to feed the country.

“They have demonstrated potential to have good quantities and acreages of production. There is also evidence that we are able to add to the value chain development of these rice products. They have been milled and packaged in ways that are overly competitive with what we see,” he said.

Dr Jasaw bemoaned the excessive consumption of imported rice and said that it needs to change.

“This country spends in excess of $500 million every year importing rice. If you and I, as Ghanaians, can develop the taste and patronise made-in-Ghana rice, it means our expenditure on rice importation bill will drastically reduce. Our health is going to improve as well,” he said.

“We are satisfied that AGRA has gone through all the processes, supporting rice production in various ways.

"And now we have all these industries that are taking up the processing, promotion and marketing. And what we need now is the citizens agreeing that this is the way to go. And we patronise made-in-Ghana rice so we can reduce the import of rice,” he said.

Dr Jasaw assured that he will work with the Eat Ghana Rice partners to extend the campaign to other parts of the country.

“I will work closely with AGRA and the Kufuor Foundation. To see how we can help them develop a promotional activity across the country. So we can get more countrymen to experience what we are experiencing today, so we all patronise Ghana rice,” he said.

What is the Eat Ghana Rice campaign?

The Eat Ghana Rice Campaign has the objective of reminding all Ghanaians, institutions, and corporate bodies of the urgent need to support and buy Ghana Rice brands to help safeguard farmers’ livelihoods. The campaign is dispelling the perception that Ghana rice is of inferior quality.

They say current Ghana rice brands are well-polished, uniform in size, and excellent for preparing rice dishes. Many brands are certified by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA).

Apart from AGRA and the John A. Kufuor Foundation, Hopeline Institute, Farm Wallet, AGRA, the Competitive African Rice Platform, and Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana are the other partners on the campaign.

“We are appealing to Ghanaians to put money into the hands of fellow Ghanaian farmers and not those in Vietnam, Thailand and other countries.

"So, let’s eat Ghana rice. Ghana rice is our grain and our pride,” Policy Advisor at The John A. Kufuor Foundation, Dr Nana Ama Oppong–Duah, said.

Ghana Country Director of AGRA, Dr Betty Annan, assured said AGRA will continue to support players in the rice value chain.

“We are working with several institutions, including KNUST and the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement, to bring out good varieties that can be locally produced. And that would mimic some of the ones we are importing,” she said.

“And we are hoping policies will be implemented so processors can take up locally produced rice, maybe up to 30% of what they produce, so that our farmers can continue to produce more rice,” Dr Annan added.