A high-level gathering of policymakers, development partners, and private sector leaders has opened in Accra with a renewed push to transform West Africa’s rice sector and reduce the region’s heavy dependence on imports.
The two-day West Africa Rice Investment Roundtable, running from June 2 to 3, is being held under the theme “Mobilizing Transformational Capital to Support West Africa’s Rice Agenda.” The forum is focused on unlocking critical financing and accelerating the implementation of national and regional rice investment plans.
Participants are engaging in strategic discussions on how to mobilize public, private, and blended finance to drive large-scale investments across the rice value chain; from production and processing to storage and distribution.
Speaking at the opening session, the President of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission, Dr. Alieu Omar Touray, underscored the urgency of achieving regional rice self-sufficiency. He noted that while West Africa currently produces about 60 percent of its rice needs, the remaining 40 percent is still imported, placing a significant burden on economies and exposing the region to global supply shocks.
Dr. Touray emphasized that the roundtable must go beyond dialogue and deliver tangible outcomes that directly benefit farmers. He highlighted the importance of strengthening investor confidence and creating an enabling environment that attracts sustained capital into the sector.
“This roundtable should not just be about conversations,” he said. “It must lead to concrete actions that improve productivity, empower farmers, and position the region to meet its 2035 self-sufficiency target.”
Ghana’s Vice President, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang also called for decisive action, urging stakeholders to draw lessons from countries that have successfully transitioned from food crises to food security. She stressed that West Africa has the potential to replicate such success stories if commitments are matched with implementation.
“We must move from talk to action,” she said. “Ghana is ready to lead the way in driving progress in the rice industry, and we are committed to working with regional partners to achieve lasting transformation.”
The roundtable comes at a time when rising global food prices and supply chain disruptions have renewed attention on local production and food sovereignty. Stakeholders at the event are expected to outline actionable investment frameworks and partnerships aimed at boosting rice production capacity across the region.
By the close of the meeting, organizers hope to secure stronger commitments from both public and private actors, laying the groundwork for a more resilient and self-sufficient rice sector in West Africa.
The outcomes of the Accra roundtable are expected to play a pivotal role in shaping the region’s agricultural investment landscape and advancing ECOWAS’s long-term vision of food security and economic stability.
