The government has directed that rice supplied to schools nationwide be procured centrally through the Ghana Buffer Stock Company Limited as part of efforts to promote the consumption of locally produced rice under the school feeding programme.
In a presidential directive, John Dramani Mahama expressed concern that several schools have continued to purchase imported rice despite existing government policy encouraging institutions to prioritise locally produced food.
The directive reiterates a policy introduced last year to decentralise food procurement for schools, allowing school authorities to source food items from local communities. The policy was designed to strengthen domestic agriculture and support local value chains.
A key component of the policy specifically promotes the purchase of locally produced rice to expand market opportunities for Ghanaian rice farmers and reduce the country’s reliance on imported food commodities.
However, reports submitted to the Presidency indicate that some schools have continued to procure imported rice for feeding programmes, a situation the President said undermines efforts to support local farmers and retain economic value within the country.
To address the challenge, the President has ordered the immediate centralisation of rice procurement for schools.
“The Ministry of Education (Ghana) is therefore requested to take the necessary steps, in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service and the Ghana Buffer Stock Company Limited, to ensure the effective implementation of this directive, including the establishment of appropriate coordination and distribution mechanisms to facilitate the timely supply of local rice to schools,” the directive stated.
The statement added that the objective of the measure is to ensure compliance with national policy, strengthen local rice production, and maintain a stable and transparent supply chain for food supplied to schools.
The Presidency has urged the Education Ministry to treat the directive as urgent and provide regular updates to the Office of the President on implementation arrangements.
