P-N. T Johnson , J. Gayin &R. K. Bam

Introduction

Source: Olaf Kula and Emmanuel Dormon, 2009. Global Food Security Response- Ghana Rice Study microREPORT #156

Major Rice Ecologies

Geographical distribution of Rice Ecologies in Ghana

• Rainfed lowlands are distributed in all 10 administrative regions and across all the agro-ecological zones

• Upland: Distributed across all the regions except Greater Accra. However, upland rice production is concentrated mostly in Volta and Western regions

• Irrigated: There are 22 irrigation schemes distributed in nine regions. Only 13 schemes are being used for rice production

Table 1: Categorization of paddy fields in Ghana

Lowland rain-fed

Upland rain-fed

Irrigated Total

Planted Area (Ha)

93,750 18,750 10,200 122,700

Paddy (MT/Ha)

2.4 1.0 4.5 2.4

Paddy Production

(MT)

224,700 18,750 45,900 289,350

% of Total Area

76 15 8 100

% of Total Production

78 6 16 100

Source: “The study on the Promotion of Domestic Rice in the Republic of Ghana,” MoFA and JICA, (Final Report, March 2008).

Name of scheme Location (Region) Agro-ecological zone

Main biotic stresses

Afife Volta Coastal savannah salinity

Aveyime Volta Coastal savannah salinity

Anum valley Ashanti Forest Submergence, Fe toxicity

Botanga Northern Savannah  

Golinga Northern Savannah  

Libga Northern Savannah  

Ashiaman Greater Accra Coastal savannah Salinity

Dawhenya Greater Accra Coastal savannah Salinity

Okyereko Central Coastal savannah Salinity, Fe toxicity

Kikam Western Rain forest Fe toxicity

Vea (ICOUR) Upper East Guinea savannah  

Kpong Greater Accra Coatal savannah  

Tono (ICOUR) Upper East Guinea savannah  

Table 2: Distribution of irrigated rice schemes in Ghana

Rain-fed Lowland Ecology

• This ecology has water management problems as a result of frequent flooding from ground water and precipitation.

• When well developed (with simple water management techniques) and mechanized, its yield potential can be substantially enhanced.

• Studies undertaken in 1996 (confirmed in 2000) showed that the rain-fed lowland ecology is the most profitable for rice production provided water management and cultural practices are improved

Irrigated Ecology

• This ecology records the highest rice yields

• Levels of technology utilization are higher than in both rain-fed lowland and upland ecologies (improved land preparation, improved varieties, fertilizer application and weed control through water management).

Rain-fed Upland Ecology

• This ecology is characterized by an erratic rainfall pattern.

• There are also problems of weed competition, low soil fertility and pest damage

• Rice varieties suitable for the ecology are short duration and drought-tolerant types

Table 3a: Major Abiotic & Biotic Stresses for Rice Ecologies

Ecology

Abiotic Stress Biotic Stress

Upland Drought, poor seedling

establishment, phosphorus,

N and Zn deficiencies

Weeds, brown spot,

narrow leaf spot, blast,

bird damage, stem

borers, nematodes

Table 3b: Major Abiotic & Biotic Stresses for Rice Ecologies

Ecology

Abiotic Stress Biotic Stress

Rainfed Lowlands

Submergence, flash floods, terminal drought, Fe toxicity, salinity, declining soil fertility

Weeds, brown spot, narrow leaf spot, blast, bird damage, stem borers, nematodes

Irrigated Salinity, Fe toxicity Weeds, bird damage,

stem borers, nematodes

Rice Processing (post production)

• Primary Processing– Drying

– Threshing

–Winnowing

– Temporary storage/

– milling

• Secondary Processing– Parboiling

– Rice flour production (rice-based products)

Primary Processing

– Pre-drying

– Bulking

– Threshing

–Winnowing

– Drying

– Paddy storage

Primary processing occurs in all the ecologies in the major rice growing regions in Ghana. In the irrigated fields there is better access to machinery/equipment.

Processing Standards are therefore high. Small holder farmers in the rain-fed lowland and upland ecologies manually engage in these primary processing activities

Secondary Processing

– Parboiling

–Milling

– Grading

– Packaging

& marketing

•In very remote area milling is still done with Steel hullers•Individuals own mini rubber roll mills and offer services on custom basis•Parboiling of paddy rice is done exclusively by women processes in the Northern part of the country where rain-fed lowland rice production is predominant•Standard mills quipped with destoners, graders occur in irrigated areas

Major Processing Constraints

• The poor quality of paddy produced

• Inadequate and inefficient processing and milling equipment resulting in poor quality milled rice

• Inadequate and poor post harvest infrastructure (e.g.. storage/warehousing facilities -refer to pic below)

• Poor Access roads and utility services in production & processing areas

• Inadequate funding/credit facilities for value chain actors

• Others - Market access

Recent achievements on technology development - processing & value addition

• Capacity building of value chain actors to produce quality rice through improved post production handling of rice

• Packaging, branding and Promotion of the locally produced rice (comes with its additional cost) e.g. Gbewa, Worawora, Rhema Perfume

Recent achievements on technology development - processing & value addition (con’t)

• Building of linkages between value chain actors

• Installation of standard mills at strategic positions (through projects and government efforts)

• Capacity building of artisanal parboilers in improved parboiling techniques

On-going research activities processing & value addition

1. Development of Rice Varieties with Enhanced Nitrogen-Use Efficiency and Salt Tolerance (NUE-EST-AATF)

• Milling and Sensory tests on Nerica 4 and Lowland Nerica 9

2. Expanded Rice Programme

• Improved post harvest handling and marketing

3. Enhancing Food Security in Africa through the Improvement of Rice Post-Harvest Handling, Marketing and the Development of New Rice-Based Products

Merci

Thank you