The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) has revealed its plans to implement a seed tracking system in 2024 to curb the distribution of fake seeds in the country. The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, announced the move during an international symposium on rice seed certification and distribution in Accra. Acheampong noted that the system will be piloted to reduce seed adulteration and faking.
The MOFA has observed that farmers need quality seeds to improve yield and harvest. To address this, the ministry is taking a consolidated approach to improve the rice seed value chain. The ministry is building the capacity of seed certification officers and stakeholders, providing improved seed storage and warehousing, and cold rooms. The ministry is also working to improve the marketing and distribution channels for rice seeds.
Several international donor agencies have expressed their support for Ghana’s rice sector. The Korean Partnership for Innovation of Agriculture (KOPIA) has pledged to support the country by providing necessary machinery and equipment to improve the quality of rice seeds in four irrigation schemes. The Secretary-General of KOPIA, Dr. Chang Ancheol, has pledged to keep supporting Ghana to become self-sufficient in rice cultivation.
