Moves To Have Local Rice Patronised (page 31, Jan 7)

THE Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PAG) has urged the government to make it obligatory for security agencies and government-assisted schools to patronise locally produced rice.
The measure, if implemented, would create ready market for local rice in the country.
The President of the PAG, Mr Mohammed Adam Nashiru, made the appeal at a rice bazaar in Accra yesterday.
Jointly organised by the PAG and the Ghana Trade and Livelihood Coalition, the bazaar saw participants, including the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade, Industry and Tourism, Mr Amadu Sorogo, and a member of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Finance, Dr Akoto Osei, and officials of the Ghana Immigration Service, the Ghana National Fire Service, the Ghana Prisons Service and other officials enjoy varieties of local rice dishes.
Mr Nashiru argued that locally produced rice was healthier and cheaper than imported rice.
He said patronage of local rice would motivate rice farmers to produce more rice and ensure food security in the country.
Mr Nashiru noted that the government was making effort to expand rice production in the country.
He mentioned the Expanded Rice Production Project, the revamping of the Aveyime Rice Project and the Rice Sector Support Project as examples.
Besides, he said, rice producers had received new farm machinery and equipment, such as new tractors, combined harvesters, rice processing machines with distoners and colour sorters and fertilisers at subsidised prices.
Therefore, Mr Nashiru said, Ghanaians should show patriotism by buying local rice to give meaning to the government’s support for rice production and keep the local rice farmers in business.
He said local rice farmers had the capacity to produce enough rice to satisfy all Ghanaian consumers if the government supported them with more machines and equipment and more Ghanaians began to buy local rice.
Mr Sorogo gave the assurance that the government would pass the necessary legislation to support local rice farmers.
He said the government would encourage rice consumption in institutions.
Dr Osei stressed the need for the government to support local rice farmers with loans to enable them to produce more rice to satisfy the Ghanaian consumer.