Mrs. Justina Marigold Assan, Central Regional Minister, says the region had the potential to produce enough rice to feed the country, thereby boosting the economy and the livelihoods of its farmers and rural folks.
She said the Central Region was aiming to be a rice production hub of Ghana, and also to produce rice seedlings for rice farmers in the country. “Undoubtedly, the region has the capacity and prospects to produce rice to meet local demand and for export, as well.”
Mrs Marigold Assan said this when she led a 14-member team from Ghana to Seoul, South Korea, to participate in training on Rice Value Chain Improvement Project in the Central Region.
The 10-day training programme is organised and sponsored by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
The purpose of the training is to let participants get first-hand information on how Korean was able to become rice sufficient and eliminate rice exports which have boosted their economy to be one of the best in the world.
It is aimed at equipping the participants with the best practices in South Korea and exposed them to their success story in rice production to the United States level of self sufficiency and also to broaden and build the knowledge base of Directors of Agriculture and some top officials in rice production to work towards improving the quality of life of rice farmers in the Central region.
The participants would be taken to, for a study trip to Korea Rural Development Administration, Korea Rice Production complexes and related institutions, Field trips to Farmer Federation for Rice Value chains, Visits to quality control and marketing Institutions/Agencies and Study visits to Agricultural mechanization Rental Service Centre.
Mrs. Marigold Assan revealed that the knowledge the participants will acquired would help to increase the quality and add value to rice production in the Central Region.
She said “We will adopt the methods used by Korea to boost the rice industry and also strengthen the relationship between the region and KOICA”.
Mrs Marigold Assan said KOICA was currently operating in five districts in the Central Region namely; Gomoa East, Assin Fosu, Assin South, Assin North and Twifo Atti-Morkwa and had engaged the services of 514 farmers in the cultivation of rice.
She revealed that she was enthused about the rapid development of the country through the Saemaul Undong movement, where citizens championed and spearheaded their own development.
The Central Regional Minister said the training has been an eye opener and that the Korean economy boom was nothing short but a miracle which was created by a collective effort and the will of the people to help themselves in participating in the development process of the country.
“Korea was once poor in the 1950s due to wars but has been able to overcome all challenges and rise from grass to grace … we can also do it”.
