Ghana rice production and irrigation initiatives

Ghana has initiated several agricultural projects aimed at increasing rice production and enhancing food security. The government launched two irrigation projects under the Food Systems Resilience Project (FSRP), including an Inland Valley project in the Atwima Nwabiagya North district and the 175-hectare Anunuso Water Conservation Scheme in the Sekyere East District. These efforts are intended to provide reliable water supplies and reduce dependence on rainfall.

In a broader strategic move, Ghana is targeting rice self-sufficiency by 2028 through the Regional West Africa Resilient Rice Value Chains Development (REWARD) Project. Funded by a US$18.8 million grant from the African Development Bank, this initiative seeks to develop 3,200 hectares of land in the Northern Savannah Ecological Zone. The project aims to support over 20,000 smallholder farmers by providing mechanization and quality seeds to increase yields, addressing the fact that local production currently meets only 56 percent of national demand.

To reach this 2028 goal, the government aims for 3.31 million metric tonnes of paddy production. This effort is part of a larger economic strategy to reduce the country’s annual rice import bill, which is estimated to be between $320 million and $500 million. These agricultural objectives coincide with reported macroeconomic improvements, including a rise in Foreign Direct Investment from $624 million in 2024 to $2.62 billion in 2025.