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Ghana


General Information

· Main climates: Tropical Wet and Dry, Tropical Wet

· Total land area: 22 754 000 ha

· Internal renewable water resources: 30.3 km3

· Incoming water flow: 22.9 km3

· GNP per capita, 1998: PPP$ 1 735

· Main food consumed: Roots & tubers, Maize, Oil & fat, Fruits, Millet & sorghum

· Rice supply, 1999: 13.2 kg paddy/capita/year

Basic Statistics


1985

1990

1995

2000

RICE





Harvested area (T ha)

68.0

49.0

99.9

130.0

Yield (kg/ha)

1176

1651

2019

1613

Production (T t)

80.0

80.9

201.7

209.7

Imports (T t)

60.0

113.0

106.0

NA

Exports (t)

0

0

0

NA

OTHERS





Population (M)

12.9

15.1

17.6

NA

Agr population (M)

7.72

8.87

10.13

NA

Irrigated agr area (T ha)

7

8

11

NA

Fertilizer cons (T t)

12.50

13.00

9.70

NA

Agr tractor in use (units)

4120

4120

3700

NA

Producing Zones and Cropping Seasons

The following table shows the harvested areas from different producing zones.

Production zone

Harvested area (% total harvested area)

Upper-east

27.29

Northern

26.40

Western

12.81

Eastern

10.68

Volta

9.28

Ashanti

4.21

Brong-Ahafo

4.04

Upper-west

3.56

GT Accra

1.72

In irrigated areas a second rice-cropping season may take place.

Cropping season

Planting

Harvesting

Main season

5-6

10-11

Off season

1-2

5-6

Production Practices

The following figure shows the harvested areas from different ecologies during the last five years.

Upland rice is grown as a mono-crop or as in a mixture with other food crops following the slash-and-burn shifting cultivation almost without any application of chemical fertilizer and other ago-chemical. Land preparation for lowland rice is done either manually or with animal traction. Transplanting is the main method of crop establishment in lowland systems. Farmers generally apply little fertilizer to rainfed lowland. However, moderate to high rates of inorganic fertilizers is usually applied to irrigated rice. Weeding is generally done manually, although the use of herbicides is increasing in irrigated rice. Farmers do not have adequate appropriate tools and equipment for harvesting and threshing of rice. A number of improved rice varieties have been released for cultivation.

Variety Name

Released period

Growth duration (days)

ANDY 11

Irrigated

NA

IET 2885

Irrigated

NA

IR 3273-P339-2

Irrigated

NA

IR 8

Irrigated

135-140

ITA 222

Irrigated

120-125

TOX 725-1-8-201-1

Irrigated

NA

CICA 4

NA


TOX 3108-56-4-2-2-2

Rainfed Lowland


IR 442 2 58

Rainfed lowland

135-140

4418

Upland

125

BASOLOGO (C168)

Upland

NA

DOURADAO PRECOCE

Upland

95-100

FARO 15 (GR21)

Upland

137

IR 42

Rainfed lowland

135-140

The following table shows rice responses to fertilizer application.

Other information

Test range (kg/ha)

Control rate (kg/ha)

Control yield (t/ha)

Rate at Maximum yield (kg/ha)

Maximum yield (t/ha)

Nitrogen (N)

Reported in 1996, Besease, rainfed lowland

0-90

2.5

0

4.8

90

Reported in 1996, Aframso, rainfed lowland

0-90

2

0

3.7

90

Reported in 1996, Yepiligu, rainfed lowland

0-90

2.9

0

3.8

90

Reported in 63, Forest, swamp, rainfed lowland

0-22.4

0

0.79

22.4

1.04

Reported in 63, Forest, Upland

0-22.4

0

0.53

22.4

0.67

Reported in 63, Forest savannah, Upland

0-22.4

0

0.88

22.4

1.09

Phosphorus (P2O5)

Reported in 1996, Besease, Rainfed lowland

0-60

0

2.5

60

3.9

Reported in 1996, Aframso, Rainfed lowland

0-60

0

2

60

3.4

Reported in 1996, Yepiligu, Rainfed lowland

0-60

0

2.9

60

3.5

Reported in 1996, Besease, with 90 kgN + 60 kgK/ha, Rainfed lowland

0-60

0

5.1

60

6.8

Reported in 1996, Aframso with 90 N + 60 K kg/ha, Rainfed lowland

0-60

0

4.3

60

5.6

Reported in 1996, Yepiligu, with 90 N + 60 K kg/ha, Rainfed lowland

0-60

0

3.8

60

5.8

Reported in 63, Forest, Rainfed lowland

0-22.4

0

0.79

22.4

0.99

Reported in 63, Forest hill, Upland

0-22.4

0

0.53

22.4

0.57

Reported in 63, Forest savannah, Upland

0-22.4

0

0.88

22.4

1.18

Potassium (kg K2O)

Reported in 1996, Besease, Rainfed lowland

0-60

0

2.5

60

3.3

Reported in 1996, Aframso, Rainfed lowland

0-60

0

2

60

3

Reported in 1996, Yepiligu, Rainfed lowland

0-60

0

2.9

60

2.4

Reported in 1996, Besease, with 90 kgN + 60 kgP/ha, Rainfed lowland

0-60

0

5.7

60

6.8

Reported in 1996, Aframso with 90 N + 60 P kg/ha, Rainfed lowland

0-60

0

4.5

60

5.6

Reported in 1996, Yepiligu, with 90 N + 60 P kg/ha, Rainfed lowland

0-60

0

3.5

60

5.8

Constraints and Issues of Sustainable Production

There are several constraints to sustainable rice production in Ghana. Following are the majors:

Sustainable rice production depends greatly on appropriate policy to provide farmers with support in inputs supply and marketing of products. The improvement and development of lowland rice with improved water control and supply would be essential.

Research and Development Institutes

· Agricultural Research Station, University of Ghana, P.O. Box 9, Kpong 3, Ghana.

· Crop Services Directorate, Ministry of Agriculture, P.O. Box M37, Accra, Tel.: (233) 21 687246, Fax: (233) 21 660567

· Crops Research Institute Agricultural Research Station Bunso, P.O. Box 7, Bunso Phone: 6221

· Crops Research Institute, Plant Genetic Resources Unit P.O. Box 3785 Academy Post Office Kumasi, Ashanti Phone: 6221 Telex: 3036 BTH 10 GH Fax: (223) 514132

· Crops Research Institute, P.O. Box 3785 Kumasi, Ghana, Tel.: (051) 60389/60391/60425, Fax: 60142

· Crops Research Institute, Valley Bottom Rice Programme, Tel.: (051) 60389/60391/60425, Fax:

· Ghana Seed Co. Ltd. P.O. Box 7, Trade Fair Site, Accra, Phone: 65367

· Ministry of Agriculture P.O. Box M-37 Accra, Phone: (021) 665421 Telex: 2001 STAR GH Fax: (233-21) 668245

· Nyankpala Agricultural Experiment Station P.O. Box 52, Nyankpala, Via Tamale

· PPMED Ministry of Food and Agriculture, P.O. Box M37, Accra

· Savanna Agricultural Research Institute, P.O.Box 52, Tamale, Tel.:(233) 71-22411/23465, Fax: (233) 71-23483

· University of Ghana Agricultural Research Station, P.O. Box 9 Kpong, E.R. Phone: Kpong 3 Telex: 2556 UGL GH

· University of Ghana Department of Botany P.O. Box 55 Legon Phone: 75381

· University of Science and Technology Faculty of Agriculture, University Post Office Kumasi, Phone: 5351 Telex: 2555 USI GH


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