Okumaning-Kade (E/R) Aug. 21, GNA - The Government is to assist rice-producing communities with processing equipment to help to improve production and raise their standard of living.

As part of the programme, the Inland Valleys Rice Development Project (VRDP) implementation rice processing groups in the country would be supported with medium term credit to acquire 50 mini-mills, 60 digital moisture meters and 125 weighing scales to boost the rice industry.

Mr Godwin Ocloo, Eastern Regional Director of Agriculture, announced this at a two-day workshop held at the University of Ghana Agricultural Research Centre at Okumaning near Kade in the Kwaebibirem District at the weekend.

Fifty participants attended the workshop and they were from Ashanti, Brong Ahafo, Eastern, Central and Western Regions. Discussions at the workshop were on types of mini-mills available for rice processing good quality rice. They also focused on cost effectiveness and efficiency of various types of milling machines available in the country, the durability of processing machines and the availability of spare parts and their costs.

The workshop also focused on maintenance cost of the machines used in the industry; after sales service and training of milling operators and mechanics.

Mr Emmanuel Frimpong, Co-coordinator of Inland Valleys Rice Development Project (IVRDP) said the main focus of the project was to provide support services as well as technical and financial support to small-scale rice producers, processors and traders with the view to reducing rice imports into the country. This, he said, would help to raise the standards of farmers and reduce poverty.

Mr Frimpong said the national demand for rice was very high and since the country had large hectares lying idle at certain places, the Government had found it necessary to support rice production and it was up to farmers to make good use of that facility and to go into the production of crop.

He said the project had made it a target to crop 4,500 hectares of rice at 25 inland valley sites in the country with the view to increasing rice production and also to ensure that they were of good quality.

He expressed the hope that with determination and hard work and efficiency, the project would increase the current rice production of 1.5 tons per hectare to 4.5 tons a hectare this year. He said the five-year project which is in its third year now, would include the improvement of 200 kilometres of feeder roads and 80 farm tracks.

Dr. Godfred Kwabena Ofosu-Budu, a Senior Research Officer of the University of Ghana Agricultural Research Centre and Facilitator of the Project, said rice had become the staple food in the country so there was the need to educate farmers to enable them to produce large quantities of the crop to feed the nation.

Dr Ofosu-Budu said with enough education the quality of rice would improve to compete with that on the world market and farmers to unite and form groups so that banks and other organisations could offer them the necessary assistance.