Maclean et al. - 2002 - Rice almanac source book for the most important e
Maclean et al. - 2002 - Rice almanac source book for the most important e
Maclean et al. - 2002 - Rice almanac source book for the most important e
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The Republic of GHANA, a sm<strong>al</strong>l (240,000 km 2 ), tropic<strong>al</strong> West African country bordering<br />
<strong>the</strong> Gulf of Guinea in <strong>the</strong> Atlantic Ocean, is predominantly agricultur<strong>al</strong> (40% of GDP), with 60%<br />
of <strong>the</strong> work<strong>for</strong>ce employed in agriculture on wide savannas in <strong>the</strong> north and cleared rain<strong>for</strong>est<br />
in <strong>the</strong> south. De<strong>for</strong>estation and desertification are of increasing concern. The population in<br />
1999 was 19.7 million.<br />
Gener<strong>al</strong> in<strong>for</strong>mation<br />
• GNI per capita PPP$, 2000: 1,910<br />
• Intern<strong>al</strong> renewable water re<strong>source</strong>s: 30.3<br />
km 3<br />
• Incoming water flow: 22.9 km 3<br />
• Main food consumed: roots and tubers,<br />
maize, oil and fat, fruits, mill<strong>et</strong> and sorghum<br />
• <strong>Rice</strong> consumption, 1999: 8.8 kg milled rice<br />
per person per year<br />
Production constraints<br />
The major constraints to sustainable rice<br />
production in Ghana are<br />
• Drought in upland areas and drought and<br />
flash flood in rainfed lowland (or inland<br />
swamp) areas because of irregular wea<strong>the</strong>r<br />
• Lack of suitable vari<strong>et</strong>ies <strong>for</strong> irrigated and<br />
rainfed lowland (or swamp) areas<br />
• Inadequate and irregular input supplies:<br />
seeds, fertilizer, and credit<br />
• Lack of sm<strong>al</strong>l farm equipment, especi<strong>al</strong>ly<br />
<strong>for</strong> postharvest operations<br />
• Lack of effective farmers’ organizations and<br />
cooperatives<br />
• Poor maintenance of irrigation facilities<br />
• Lack of well-defined rice policies<br />
• Poor road n<strong>et</strong>works and mark<strong>et</strong>ing systems<br />
• Labor shortage because of comp<strong>et</strong>ition from<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r crops<br />
• Weak research and extension support<br />
Production season<br />
Planting Harvesting<br />
Main season May-Jun Oct-Nov<br />
Off-season Jan-Feb May-Jun<br />
164 <strong>Rice</strong> <strong>al</strong>manac