Rice Federation calls for collaboration to aid flood affected rice farmers

The Ghana Rice Federation has appealed to stakeholders and interested parties to work together to support rice farmers who were affected by flood waters as a result of the Akosombo dam spillage. 

A statement issued and signed by Convenor of the Ghana Rice Federation and Chief Executive Officer of Osaagyefo HRM foods, Akuamoah Boateng Baidoo, said the government efforts to deal with the long-term effects of the Akosombo dam spillage had shifted from saving lives and property to economic recovery in the affected communities.

It said, “the Ghana Rice Federation will like to draw the attention of government and other stakeholders to the fact that many rice farmers have had their farms flooded and are in urgent need of funding and other support such as soil testing to help them quickly recover and restore their livelihoods.”

Farmers

The statement lamented that losses suffered by farmers from the data being collated ranged from total loss of paddy rice at the point of harvest to losses of recently planted fields.

“Several farmers were unable to harvest their rice on time to take advantage of the Christmas season and some have had fields they invested in, which would have been ready for harvest next year, completely destroyed,” it said.

“Rice farmers have not only lost capital they invested in production but are also in debt with their financiers.

This is naturally affecting the ability of rice farmers to profitably continue rice production and cater for their families,” the statement stressed. 

It said beyond individual farmers suffering devastating losses, the economy of many of these affected communities was directly and indirectly largely dependent on rice farming.

To salvage the situation, the statement said the federation last month agreed to formally organise rice growers in the Asutsuare/Akuse enclave as a sub-group of the Federation to work with interested stakeholders in the rice value chain to help rice farmers affected by flooding recover their finances and livelihoods.

Harvest

“Those who have lost significant harvest have resolved to redeem these losses through a scheme of organised pre-financing and provision of technical expertise being spearheaded by the Ghana Rice Federation,” it added.

That, the statement said, involved reaching out and working with organisations specialising in soil research such as the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to improve the micro and macro nutrient content of the soil so as to improve yields and help farmers rapidly recover their losses and pay off their debts.

The statement appealed to stakeholders to contact the federation at No 7 Labone Arcade or on 0302797956 or 02028521117.