Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister of Food and Agriculture, on Friday said the country could achieve self-sufficiency in rice production within the next two years.
He said that the prediction was based on the large quantities of rice being produced at Aveyime and other rice growing areas, especially in the Northern part of the country.
Mr Ahwoi explained that for that target to be achieved there was the need for Ghanaians to show preference to locally produce rice adding, that
Ghana currently imported about $500 million worth of rice annually.
He was speaking at a durbar of chiefs and people of the Kwahu North District (Afram Plains), organized as part of a three-day visit of President John Evans Atta Mills to the Eastern Region to thank the people for voting the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to power in Election 2008.
He announced that government was to establish a Buffer Stock Company Limited to guarantee prices and ready market for agriculture produce in the country.
Mr Ahwoi said consequently, the President had given the Ministry mandate to take over all abandoned maize silos and warehouses in the country for the project to take of.
He said under the programme, the abandoned silos in the district would be rehabilitated for storage of maize.
Mr Ahwoi said the Ministry would build markets within the district for farmers to sell their produce.
He said as part of efforts towards agriculture mechanization in the area, the Ministry was encouraging private tractor operators to support farmers in the area and that a private company had established facilities to
that effect.
Mr Ahwoi said to help reduce pollution of sources of water and the destruction of farms by animals, the Ministry in collaboration with the District Assembly was to establish fodder banks at Forifori, Amankwa, Wawase and Memkyemfre.
He said such facility would help provide water, fodder and sheds for cattle and herdsmen.
Mr Ahwoi said government would create a green belt to reduce bush fires and sink more boreholes to provide potable water for the people.