The Chairman of Competitive African Rice Platform, Ghana Chapter, Yaw Adu Poku has called for investment in the agriculture sector if Ghana wants to meet international agricultural standards.

This, he said will help the country achieve its vision to consume made-in-Ghana products and reduce the high import rate.

The agriculture sector he said, “entails funding – cash and that cash should come from the government end and the government will reap all this investment if they follow strictly the laid down rules they will get back the money plus.”

Responding to the question of whether the local rice market was competitive enough, Mr Poku explained that the current agricultural system is not appropriate and makes it difficult for farmers to meet the market demand.

"We will never be competitive enough if you look at the way we go about agriculture, we will not be competitive. For example, if you go to other areas, I will use rice whereas we are producing four to five tonnes per hectare others are doing eight to ten tons on the same hectarage.

“So immediately it tells you that something is wrong with our output and this needs the intervention which will have to come from the leadership and this is not having.

"They are getting the eight to ten tons because they have modernized their farming practice something peasant farmers out there cannot do so you need the leadership to bring this in,” he said on Newsfile, Saturday.

Mr Poku also called on government and the Bank of Ghana (BoG) to engage stakeholders in the production industry.

This, according to him, is because the banks are not helping the local industry to pick up in production although the local industries also invest in the banks.

He said banks are only interested in bonds and instruments.

“What I am thinking is that government and the BoG should sit down with the stakeholders in the country. We are looking at employing over 250,000 youth into the economy. They will also be paying taxes.”