In a bid to bolster the productivity of rice farmers in the Ketu North Municipality of the Volta Region, the Weta Rice Farmers Association is advocating for the consumption of locally produced rice.

During a recent one-day financial capacity-building training for rice farmers in Dzodze, leaders of the association underscored the importance of patronizing Ghanaian rice over imported varieties, citing its freshness and lack of chemical preservatives as significant advantages.

The leaders of the Weta Rice Farmers Association emphasized that consuming locally grown rice not only supports the livelihoods of farmers but also contributes to the nation's economic growth by reducing dependency on imports.

One of the primary arguments the association's leaders put forth is the superior quality of Ghanaian rice compared to imported ones. He highlighted that Ghanaian rice is cultivated and harvested meticulously, ensuring it reaches consumers in its freshest state.

With this understanding, a one-day financial capacity workshop organized for the rice farmers in the Ketu North Municipality is aimed at creating awareness for farmers to understand the role they play in the country, and also to expose some of the challenges faced by the farmers and build their capacity to understand certain aspects of their work and improve on it.

Sampson Klutsey Gamenyah, the patron for the Weta Rice Farmers Association, in an interview, said it's time Ghanaians do away with misconceptions about local rice and patronize it so that Ghanaian youth will develop an interest in rice farming to reduce unemployment in the country.

Priscilla Agbavitor, Akpene Abube, and Michael Agbatafa who are rice farmers, spoke about their financial status, and expressed the hope that the workshop would open financial doors for them.

Some of the farmers who also spoke with the media noted that it is necessary that the government comes to their aid in terms of soft loans to address their financial challenges.