ECOWAS, Partners Launch Major Investment Drive to End Rice Imports by 2035

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has launched an ambitious regional initiative aimed at ending the bloc’s dependence on imported rice and achieving self-sufficiency in rice production by 2035.

The initiative was unveiled at a high-level Regional Round Table on Investment in the Rice Sector in West Africa, which opened in Accra under the theme, “Mobilising Resources to Achieve Rice Self-Sufficiency in West Africa.

The two-day meeting, organised by the Economic Community of West African States Commission with support from the World Bank and the African Development Bank, seeks to mobilise public and private sector investments to transform rice production across the region.

The initiative comes as West African countries continue to spend billions of dollars annually on rice imports despite possessing vast arable land, favourable climatic conditions and a large agricultural workforce capable of meeting domestic demand.

Opening the roundtable on behalf of Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, Vice-President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang described the quest for rice self-sufficiency as a critical test of Africa’s economic resilience, food sovereignty and regional integration.

“This meeting is about much more than rice,” she said. “It is about our collective ability to transform our economies and build a future where Africa can feed itself with dignity.”

The event attracted ministers, development finance institutions, investors, agricultural experts and policymakers from across the region amid growing concerns over food security, climate change and disruptions to global food supply chains.

Among the dignitaries who addressed participants were Eric Opoku, Ghana’s Minister of Food and Agriculture; Thomas Nyarko Ampem, Deputy Finance Minister; and senior representatives of the World Bank and African Development Bank.

A major highlight of the meeting was the presentation of the strategic framework titled “Vision for Rice Self-Sufficiency in West Africa by 2035,” delivered by agricultural expert Kalilou Sylla.

The blueprint outlines a coordinated regional strategy centred on increasing rice productivity, expanding irrigation systems, improving access to quality seeds, strengthening agricultural value chains, boosting processing capacity and attracting long-term investment into the sector.

President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu Touray, reaffirmed the bloc’s commitment to transforming agriculture into a driver of economic growth and regional prosperity.

“ECOWAS’ ambition is to establish competitive, inclusive and sustainable agri-food systems that strengthen food sovereignty, create jobs and promote shared prosperity, while achieving regional self-sufficiency in rice by 2035,” Touray said.

He described the Accra roundtable as a critical turning point, stressing the need to move beyond policy discussions and translate commitments into concrete investments capable of delivering tangible results for farmers, processors and consumers.

Analysts say successful implementation of the initiative could significantly reduce West Africa’s exposure to global food market shocks, lower import bills and create millions of jobs across the rice value chain, including production, processing, transportation and marketing.

For ECOWAS, the stakes are particularly high as the region’s rapidly growing population continues to drive food demand. Achieving rice self-sufficiency is increasingly viewed as both an economic necessity and a strategic imperative for regional food security.

As discussions continue in Accra, stakeholders are expected to develop financing frameworks and investment commitments that could reshape rice production across West Africa and bring the region closer to its long-standing goal of food sovereignty.

The initiative marks one of the most significant regional efforts in recent years to harness West Africa’s agricultural potential and position rice production as a cornerstone of economic growth, job creation and regional integration.