This, he said would support government's mission of ending the importation of rice and ensure the consumption of local rice.

Mr Saeed added that the northern part of the country was endowed with enough arable land, and water bodies that could support large scale agricultural production especially rice.

Mr Saeed said this when a Chinese province known as the Jiangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences (JXAAS), working in agriculture sector called on him in Tamale.

This was to consolidate and strengthen the relations between the governments of Ghana and China.

In 2017/2018, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between both institutions leading to the introduction of five new rice seed varieties, which were tested and cultivated in some areas in the northern part of the country, through the supervision of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research - Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI.

Two varieties; Waiqi (Savannah Rice) and 929 (Malimali Rice), out of the five rice seed varieties introduced were approved this year 2019 by the National Variety Release and Registration Committee (NVRRC)of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) .

Mr Saeed commended the JXAAS for providing training to build the capacity of some technical people in the Northern region in China and gave the assurance of the region's continuous collaboration with JXAAS.

Mr Yu Chuan-Yuan, the Vice President of JXAAS expressed gratitude for the certification of two of its rice varieties introduced in the region.

He said JXAAS would be introducing some new technologies in mechanising rice cultivation in large scale and new hybrid rice in the region, to help consolidate the agricultural sector and contribute in making the country self-sufficient in rice production.

Mr Yu Chuan-Yuan assured JXAAS's continuous collaboration with the Northern region and government to strengthen the agricultural sector.

Mr Baba Inusah, Senior Research Scientist at (CSIR-SARI) said the varieties, Waiqi (Savannah Rice) and 929 (Malimali Rice) performed better in the Savannah Agro-ecological zone with higher yields, disease resistant, and aromatic as compared to other varieties like AGRA and Jasmine rice.

He said Waiqi (Savannah Rice) had the average yield of 6.9 tonnes per hectare, contained high grain quality, and resistant to diseases, whereas the 929 (Malimali Rice), had an average yield of about six tons per hectarr and aromatic.
 

some of the participants at the meeting