President John Dramani Mahama has highlighted agriculture as a key area of cooperation between Ghana and South Korea, with a focus on boosting rice production and adding value to cocoa.

Speaking during bilateral talks with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul, President Mahama said Ghana is prioritising agriculture and agribusiness as part of efforts to strengthen food security and reduce dependence on food imports.

He pointed to ongoing collaboration with the Korea International Cooperation Agency under the K-Rice Belt Project, which aims to increase rice production in Ghana.

According to him, rice has become a major staple in the country, making it important for Ghana to expand local production. He noted that increasing domestic output would help reduce the volume of rice imports while improving food security.

“Rice has become a staple food in Ghana, and we want to reduce the amount we import by increasing domestic production,” the president said.

Beyond rice production, President Mahama also emphasised the importance of adding value to Ghana’s agricultural commodities, particularly cocoa. He said the government is keen on promoting local processing to ensure the country benefits more from its natural resources.

“We want to process more of our cocoa into products such as cocoa liquor and cocoa butter rather than exporting it in raw form,” he stated.

The president said stronger cooperation between Ghana and Korea could support this objective by combining Ghana’s natural resources with Korea’s technological expertise and innovation.

“With Ghana’s natural and human resources and Korea’s technology and innovation, we can build a strong win-win partnership,” he said.

President Mahama added that such collaboration could strengthen Ghana’s agro-industrial sector while creating new opportunities for trade and investment.