The Minister of State at the Ministry of Energy, Herbert Krapa, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reducing emissions and meeting its international obligations under the Paris Agreement.
He recently spoke at a Water-Energy-Food (WEFP) Nexus Program Knowledge Sharing Seminar in Accra, highlighting the government’s efforts in key sectors such as energy, agriculture, and transport to achieve these goals.
One of the key initiatives mentioned by Mr. Krapa is the WEFP project, which aims to develop 100 hectares of mechanized and irrigated farmland to produce over 1,200 tons of quality rice seeds annually. This project will also provide clean and sustainable energy to power irrigation systems at Dawhenya, ensuring reliable access to water for farmers throughout the year.
The WEFP project, implemented in collaboration with the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and the Korea Programme for International Cooperation in Agriculture (KOPIA) Ghana Centre, is set to span the next five years. Mr. Krapa emphasized that this project will not only improve Ghana’s agricultural output but also support the government’s flagship program “Planting for Food and Jobs.”
Furthermore, the Minister highlighted the government’s initiatives in renewable energy, including the lifting of the moratorium on distributed renewable energy and the launch of the net-metered renewable energy program. These efforts, along with partnerships with international stakeholders like KOPIA, aim to promote productive uses of energy and increase Ghana’s renewable energy stock.
Dr. Choong-Hoe Kim, Director of KOPIA Ghana Center, emphasized the importance of high-yield rice varieties and agricultural mechanization in boosting rice production and achieving self-sufficiency in Ghana. The WEFP project aims to produce more than 5,000 tons of quality rice seeds, addressing the current shortage and increasing rice productivity in the country.
