Ghanaian National Service Scheme targets 4000 tons of maize, rice harvest in Ashanti Region
GHANA – The Ghanaian National Service Scheme (NSS) is poised to achieve a remarkable harvest in the Ashanti Region, with expectations of over 1,500 tons of maize and 2,500 tons of rice.
Additionally, the NSS is set to harvest dozens of bags of soya beans and several boxes of tomatoes.
This development was disclosed during a tour of the NSS farms in Kumawu, Ashanti Region, June 25, 2024, by the Ashanti Regional Director of NSS, Mr. Prince Kankam Boadu.
Under the leadership of the Executive Director, Hon. Osei Asibbey Antwi, the NSS has transitioned from demonstrational farming to mechanized commercial integrated farming.
Mr. Kankam Boadu highlighted that the scheme aims to reduce the importation of rice and maize while providing food for schools.
“The NSS is cultivating over 2,500 acres of land in the Ashanti Region, with farms in Ejura and Kumawu yielding good results,” Mr. Kankam Boadu said.
He expressed optimism about improving yields to address food security challenges in the country.
“This initiative is part of the NSS’s efforts to contribute to food security and support the school feeding program in Ghana,” he added.
Recently, the Ghanian Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), in collaboration with the South Korean Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), has commissioned 100 hectares of land for the construction of a rice seed cultivation complex at Dawhenya, Ghana.
Dubbed “The Project of Increasing Agricultural Productivity Through Irrigation Infrastructure Modernization in Accra, Ghana,” this initiative is part of the broader K-Ricebelt program.
The project was officially launched in November 2023 with the signing of a USD US$7,800,000 grant agreement between the MAFRA and MoFA in tandem with the Korea Rural Community Corporation and the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) as the administrative implementation bodies for the project.
This program aims to establish rice seed cultivation complexes in ten African countries, including Ghana, Senegal, Guinea, Gambia, Cameroon, Kenya, Uganda, Guinea-Bissau, Côte d’Ivoire, and Sierra Leone.
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