The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has urged the government and private sector to increase investment in technologies suitable for climate change mitigation to enhance nutrition for the citizens.

Dr Maxwell D. Asante, the Principal Research Scientist (Rice Breeder), CSIR-Crop Research Institute (CRI), Ghana, noted that the upscaling of technologies would create wealth for farmers and improve their livelihood.

“There is a need to upscale the technologies along the value chain for a bigger impact on the national economy,” he stated.

Dr Asante made the call in a presentation to more than 100 participants during a Webinar organised by the CSIR, in collaboration with the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI).

It was on the theme: “CSIR for Sustainable Development and Wealth Creation: Focus on Domestic Rice Production for Import Substitution.”

He mentioned that Ghana released 40 varieties of rice, with 39 coming from CSIR (CRI and Savannah Research Institute or SARI) and one jointly developed by CRI and the University of Ghana.

The rice varieties were found to be highly competitive on the international level.

He mentioned some of the varieties as SARI Gbewaa Rice (Jasmine 85), CRI-Agra, CRI-Amankwatia, CRI-Agyapa, CRI-Enapa, CRI-Fosu, CRI-Cho and CRI-Kafaci among others.

These innovative rice varieties are capable of yielding between four to 9.5 metric tons, boasting aromatic (perfumed) qualities, a maturity period of 95 to 105 days, efficient nitrogen utilisation, and resistance to diseases, drought, and anaerobic germination.

Dr Asante highlighted some major interventions by the CSIR in land development and water management.

These include the SAWAH technology and the Alternative Wet and Dry (AWD) technique, both of which play a crucial role in advancing agricultural practices in Ghana.

As the SAWAH technology helped integrate management of land, including plugging, levelling and puddling, water and fertilizer for increased rice production, AWD reduced water by 30 per cent without decreasing grain yield.

Also, the CSIR developed an automated water tablet consisting of light, sound and mobile phones for the efficient use of water in rice farming.

While it has made significant strides in making Ghana self-sufficient in rice production, there remains a notable dependence on imports.

According to data from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) in 2023, 50 per cent of Ghana’s rice demand is still imported, amounting to approximately US$400 million.

Articulating concerns over the situation, Dr Asante expressed fear that local rice farmers may face challenges and potentially abandon their agricultural pursuits.

“This is due to the influx of imported rice in the market, as domestic rice produced by these farmers often remains unsold and, on the shelves, or at the mills, struggles to compete with the imported alternatives,” he said.

Prof Mrs Marian Quain, the Deputy Director-General, CSIR, urged the Government to implement policies to boost the rice production self-sufficiency campaign.

She noted that Nigeria, which successfully banned rice imports, had achieved that due to, in part, the expertise provided by Ghana’s CSIR.

Consequently, Prof. Mrs Quain emphasised the importance of the Government’s support in establishing storage facilities for rice seeds.

That would not only ensure Ghana’s food security in the future but also contribute to the overall success of the self-sufficient rice production initiative.