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Ghana: $18.8m REWARD Project to Boost Rice Production and Cut Import Dependence
October 8, 2026
Ministry of Food and Agriculture is preparing to launch an $18.8 million project aimed at increasing domestic rice production and reducing the country’s reliance on imported rice. The Regional West African Resilient Rice Value Chains Project (REWARD) is expected to be formally launched in the first week of November 2026, ahead of the 2027 rice production season.
Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku said the African Development Bank-funded initiative is designed to address key challenges across Ghana’s rice value chain and ensure that the project is operational before the next production season.
3,200 hectares to be developed
Under the project, 3,200 hectares of land will be developed for rice production in Ghana’s northern savannah ecological zone.
Farmers will receive improved seeds, mechanisation support and other inputs aimed at increasing productivity.
The project is expected to benefit more than 20,000 smallholder farmers, while also supporting rice processors, aggregators and other actors across the value chain.
The initiative forms part of the government’s broader target of achieving rice self-sufficiency by 2028, with a national target of producing 3.31 million metric tonnes of paddy rice.
According to Mr Opoku, milled rice production increased from approximately 650,000 tonnes in 2024 to 960,000 tonnes in 2025.
Despite the increase, local production currently meets about 56% of national demand, leaving a 44% shortfall that is supplied through imports.
Ghana spends $500m on rice imports
Ghana spends approximately $500 million annually on rice imports, according to the Agriculture Minister.
Mr Opoku said reducing the import bill would create opportunities for local farmers, processors and traders to earn more from the domestic market. The government is also preparing a policy that would link rice import quotas to local investment.
Under the proposed arrangement, importers would be required to establish verifiable partnerships with domestic rice producers before obtaining import permits.
The minister said the policy would not amount to a ban on rice imports, but would instead encourage greater investment in local production.
Project to strengthen processing capacity
The REWARD project will also support the establishment and upgrading of 10 strategically located rice processing centres. The intervention will further improve storage facilities and strengthen connections between farmers and markets, helping to address some of the challenges affecting Ghana’s rice value chain.
Separately, Japan has provided a $2.5 million grant to support the rice sector with agricultural equipment, including eight combined harvesters and 11 seed-cleaning machines.