Central Region can feed entire Ghana with rice – Hon. Dwuma Odoom

The Central Region possesses the capacity to cultivate enough rice to feed the whole of Ghana, according to Hon. Abraham Dwuma Odoom, Policy Advisor for the Competitive Africa Rice Initiative (CARI) in Nigeria.

Speaking in an interview on GBC Radio Central on Thursday, April 9, 2026, the former District Chief Executive for Twifo Hemang Lower Denkyira noted that the region is endowed with low-lying arable lands ideal for large-scale rice farming.

To realise this vision, Dwuma Odoom cited the example of Assin Akropong, where a rice mill already exists. He proposed that farmers cluster around such milling stations to ensure a steady supply of paddy rice for processing and bagging.

“If we bring the farmers together, we can calculate each farmer’s tonnage capacity to feed the mill. This can be structured in a 24-hour format to continuously supply paddy rice, making it consistently available,” he explained. “The Central Region alone has the capacity to produce rice to feed the whole of Ghana.”

He added that the region could also produce enough sugarcane to revive the Komenda Sugar Factory.

Elaborating on his claims, Dwuma Odoom pointed to the vast lowlands scattered across the region. “From behind the prisons to the Sefwi area and Dunkwa, all have good lands to support rice cultivation,” he said.

However, he warned that illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, has devastated many of these lands, demanding urgent action. “Why are we that lazy?” he asked, criticising the nation’s over-reliance on food imports, which he said undermines overall food security.

The former Deputy Minister for Local Government and Rural Development threw down a challenge to the government: hand over all degraded mining lands for reclamation. “I urge the government to cede those lands destroyed by galamsey so they can be reclaimed for maize and rice cultivation,” he appealed.

Dwuma Odoom also lamented the lack of engagement from authorities to help transform the country’s agriculture sector. “The ideas are there, but unfortunately, I am not being consulted enough to leverage my expertise for the government,” he bemoaned.

As Ghana continues to grapple with high import bills for rice and sugar, Dwuma Odoom maintained that with concerted effort and government backing, the nation could achieve rice self-sufficiency—and even produce its own tomatoes and onions to feed its people.

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