The Ghana Rice Inter – Professional Body (GRIB) has a five year strategic plan ending 2017. It has established the Ghana Rice Business Centers (GRBCs) within the various rice growing zones of the country. These are aimed at delivering effective commercial services to rice value chain actors.
The center, located at Asutsuare is the first to be opened officially in the country for producers, aggregators, millers, marketers and service providers.
The launch of the center was attended by all stakeholders in the rice industry within the Shai Hills, Osu Doku district. There were also representatives from Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and JAK Foundation.
Representatives were also drawn from various key partners working with GRIB to run the center. They included Addicent Foods, Regional Marketing Group (RMG) and Agricultural Manufacturing Group (AMG).
Mr. Imoro Amoro, President of GRIB explained the various challenges facing the actors in the rice value chain industry. These challenges create a huge supply gap of locally produced rice in the country.
The challenges, he observed includes access to credit, access to certified seeds, mechanisation services, access and cost of inputs, marketing of produce, irrigation and land development in the cultivation of rice.
It is imperative to have a strategy in place for change in orientation. Value chain actors need to discard the charity model of receiving agricultural support and embrace the business approach to agriculture, he said.
Mr. Amoro explained that the GRBCs are to assist rice value chain actors to overcome these challenges. Especially the members of GRIB in good standing, who will enjoy the centers’ services at subsidised prices.
Services to be provided by the center include; mechanisation services such as tractor services for large production areas, power tiller services to small production areas, threshers, combine harvesters, reapers, etc.
The services will also include market oriented advisory services, business development services, book keeping and accounting services. There’ll also be input distribution, market facilitation, GPS mapping, fee based training and equipment maintenance services.
Mr. Amoro urged government and all development partners to help setup more of such centres to improve the productivity and quality of rice produced, processed and packaged in the country.
Mr. Ken Addy, the representative from Regional Marketing Group; Ms. Dorothy Opoku from Agricultural Marketing Group and Mr. David Ntorinkansah from Addicent Foods, all emphasised that farmers should adopt good agricultural practices and the use of appropriate chemicals in right quantities to increase crop yields.
They assured all stakeholders that, the center will constantly be well stocked to meet their demands.
Mr. Ntorinkansh said there will be constant availability of all the needed machines for field operations or works at the center.
Mr. Derrick Badu Boateng representative of MoFA commended GRIB for its initiative and encouraged farmers to make good use of the center to obtain all needed inputs, services and technical advice. This, he believes, will increase the quality and quantity of their yields and therefore increase their income to improve their standard of living.
Nana Kwabena Adjei Ayeh II, Vice President, GRIB officially opened the center for the commencement of business. He educated the stakeholders on the usage and dosage of the agrochemicals and the fertilizers and this was done concurrently with promotional sales of the stock.
B&FT