Accra, Ghana – Deputy Finance Minister Thomas Nyarko Ampem has issued a strong call to investors and development partners, urging them to commit long-term capital to transform Ghana’s rice sector. Speaking at the 2026 West Africa Rice Investment Roundtable in Accra on Tuesday, he emphasized that this strategic investment is crucial for driving economic growth, enhancing food security, and fostering industrialization within the nation and the wider sub-region.
Context: A Region Reliant on Imports
West Africa, despite possessing vast agricultural potential, faces a significant economic challenge: an annual expenditure of between US$3 billion and US$4 billion on rice imports. This heavy reliance on foreign supply drains valuable foreign exchange and hinders the development of local economies. The 2026 West Africa Rice Investment Roundtable convened government representatives, private sector players, development finance institutions, and regional bodies like ECOWAS to address this critical issue.
Ghana’s Strategy for Transformation
Ghana is actively repositioning its agricultural sector, with a particular focus on strategic value chains like rice, as a central pillar of its economic transformation agenda. Deputy Minister Nyarko Ampem, speaking on behalf of Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, stated that Ghana is cultivating a conducive policy and macroeconomic environment to attract substantial investment into the rice value chain.
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