The John A. Kufuor Foundation (JAK Foundation) together with the Ghana Rice Inter-professional Body (GRIB), the Millers's Association of Ghana and Hopeline Institute, have expressed gratitude to the President, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on his directive asking state institutions to procure Ghana Rice. Since the announcement which is expected to take effect from January 2020, there has been a reported shortage of the product on the Ghanaian market.

Professor Baffour Agyeman-Duah, Chief Executive Officer of the JAK Foundation who spoke to the media said that the foundation and its partners had been working to promote procurement and consumption of Ghana rice to reduce the country's dependence on imported rice for several years.
This  move  is  expected  to  save  Ghana  about  USD1.3  billion  annually.

Professor Agyeman-Duah noted that the directive had come at a time when government and importers were working on modalities for import stabilization in the rice sector.

He pledged their support to ensure the directive took effect by working out strategies and monitoring mechanisms to improve service delivery and adherence , engaging with state institutions to develop measures that will encourage nationwide adoption of Ghana rice as well as support value chain actors in order for them to address the challenges in the rice sector.

Nana Ama Aning Oppong-Duah, Policy adviser at the JAK Foundation said that they were looking at forming alliances with agencies such as the Ghana Revenue Authority(GRA), Ministry of Food and Agriculture(MoFA) and other institutions to ensure the directive is well implemented.
She noted that they would engage in advocacy to encourage more consumption of the product.

They would also work with the GRA she added, to procure stamps that will help differentiate Ghana rice from imported ones as well as check for smuggled and re-bagged ones.

The President of GRIB, Nana Agyei Ayeh II , pointed out that with government projects such as   the School Feeding program, Free Senior High School Education and the presence of state institutions such as the security services there would always be a   ready market to implement the directive and prevent post harvest losses.

He also urged for a liaison between farmers and financial institutions to promote this initiative along the value chain.
Mr Yaw Adu-Poku, the Convener, Rice Millers Association noted the relevance of collective effort in dispelling the fear that the directive may not work citing the shortage of the Ghana rice product on the market as a positive sign.

They pledged to monitor the   Ghana Procurement Authority as the bulk buyer and the relevant state institutions to ensure adherence.
The  Ghana  rice  directive  covers  any  brand  of  locally  grown  rice  seed.