Report on training of rice farmers, processors, marketers and millers in five districts of the Volta region

Abstract

A capacity building exercise on improving the quality of ‘straight milled rice’ was organised by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Food Research Institute (CSIR-FRI). Training was conducted in collaboration with the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)-Christian Rural Aid Network (CRAN) and the Municipal Directorates of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) for rice stakeholders in the Volta Region. The training was conducted over a period of three weeks between (23rd July to 5th August and from 19th to 29th August, 2013). A total of about 506 trainees from Hohoe, Afadjato, Jasikan, Biakoye and KADJEBI Districts were trained, (see appendix). The total trainees were made up of 276 males and 230 females.7 trainees were rice millers and the rest were farmers, processors and marketers. The quality of milled rice is variable across the rice growing zones of the Volta Region. The training therefore sought to streamline the processes and product specifications in order to improve the quality of milled rice and enhanced it market competiveness. Farmers were taken through Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), specifically on post-production practices i.e. paddy quality, time to harvest, harvesting, plant protection product, milling and marketing. Currently, the Ghanaian rice paddy producers have no premium incentive for producing high quality paddy. Paddy is sold at the same price on the market. Improvement of paddy quality (a recipe to premium pricing) was discussed with the farmers. Specifically, quality improvement practices in relation to moisture content, varietal purity, organic and inorganic materials were discussed. Additionally, harvesting and harvesting systems, manual cutting and use of mechanical devices, threshing methods, drying and storage facilities were elucidated. Good mills contribute to the quality of milled rice and across the five districts of the Volta region where the training was carried out. Some of the milling systems were small scale and were integrated with elevators to make the system a continuous process. The average capacity was about one tonne per hour. Few milling houses had moisture meters for the determination of moisture content before de-hulling. It was realized that rice millers had not been part of the main groupings in the districts therefore a conscious effort was made by CSIR- FRI team to visit millers who are very important value chain actors. One such modern rice mill that the team visited was Mawuwoe Rice Processing Centre at Hohoe. The Rice Mill was set-up by African Development Bank and Government of Ghana through MoFA. The Mawuwoe crew were invited to the training sessions as well. Generally farmers, processors, marketers and millers were made to understand during the training that the key to improving the quality of milled rice on the market was good production and post-production practices. Remarkable contributions were made by participants about rice quality and its characteristics