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🇬🇭 Ghana /Economy & Trade

Weeds ravage Ghana's rice harvest, farmers lose up to 84%

From Ghanaian Times · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Ghanaian rice farmers face significant yield losses, up to 84%, due to invasive weeds, threatening food security.
  • Researchers identified five major weed species causing substantial crop reduction and hosting diseases, while manual weed removal proves unsustainable for farmers.
  • Integrated weed management, including herbicide use and improved agronomic practices, is urged, alongside stronger government support for local seed production.

Ghana's rice harvest is under severe threat from invasive weeds, with farmers losing up to 84% of their crops, according to researchers. The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-Crops Research Institute) and the Korea Partnership for Innovation of Agriculture (KOPIA) highlighted the urgent danger to food security at a recent workshop.

Five key weed species, including "Ashaiman killer" and "Black Jerry," are devastating rice fields. These weeds not only slash yields by 50 to 80 percent but also harbor destructive rice diseases. Farmers are struggling with the cost of manual weed removal, spending between GH₵1,600 and GH₵2,000 per acre, a price described as unsustainable.

What we have seen and heard is exactly what we needed.

— Richard AfflehA lead farmer expressing readiness to adopt recommended strategies after witnessing the impact of weeds on rice plots.

Experts are calling for integrated weed management strategies that combine timely herbicide application with better farming methods. The infestations are also linked to increased incidences of rice blast and blight, and shifts in pest dynamics. Officials emphasized the need for government backing of local seed production to reduce reliance on imports.

Farmers are spending GH₵1,600 to 2,000 per acre on hand‑picking weeds, a cost he described as “unsustainable.”

— Dr. Stephen ArthurProject Coordinator at CSIR-CRI, highlighting the economic burden of current weed control methods.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ghanaian Times in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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