Evaluating the Potential of Underdeveloped Land for Rice Production in Sub-Saharan Africa — A Case Study of Floodplains in the Northern Region of Ghana, West Africa

This study aimed to identify suitable areas for rice cultivation by evaluating the soil characteristics of underdeveloped land in Sub-Saharan Africa. Two transect lines were set on the Zaw floodplain (ZFP) along the White Volta River in the Northern Region of Ghana for a detailed survey on land types and soil sampling. Land types identified along the transect lines were upland (U), lowland grass (Lg), lowland shallow swamp (Lss), and lowland deep swamp (Lds). The soil texture for U, Lg, and Lss was classified as silt loam (SiL), while Lds was classified as silty clay loam (SiCL). Soil pH (H2O) was above 6 for U and Lg, and below 6 for Lss and Lds. Extractable S and available Zn were significantly greater in Lds than in other land types. Available Cu, Mn, Ni, and total nitrogen (T-N) were significantly lower in U, and total carbon (T-C) was significantly greater in Lds than in other land types. Factor analysis indicated that Lds had better soil fertility and sulfur availability than other land types. However, it seemed unsuitable for rice production due to deep water depth during the rainy season. Although Lss seemed to be relatively less suitable than Lds due to low soil fertility and low sulfur availability, the water depth in Lss was not as deep as in Lds. Access to a water source was easier in Lss than in Lg; thus, the Lss land type was considered comparatively suitable land for rice production in the study area. Nevertheless, the result implies that soil fertility and sulfur could be constraints, thereby requiring the proper application of fertilizer. Discipline: Watershed and regional resources management Additional key words: Soil fertility, sulfur deficiency, food security, Tamale This paper reports the results obtained from collaboration between the Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences (JIRCAS) and the Savanna Agricultural Research Institute, Ghana (SARI) on the “Development of Rice Production for Lowland in Africa. ” Present address: 3 Kagoshima University (Kagoshima, Kagoshima 890-8580, Japan) *Corresponding author: e-mail khayash@affrc.go. jp Received 15 January 2016; accepted 11 April 2016. Introduction Rice consumption in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has doubled since 1970 as rice has become a staple, especially for urban dwellers, and rice demand is expected to be augmented by 130% from the rice consumption of 2010 (IRRI 2010). Most of the supply of rice in SSA largely depends on importation from such mega rice-producing and riceexporting countries as Thailand and Vietnam. In 2009, six million tons of rice was imported to meet domestic demand, with four million tons destined for consumption in West Africa, which accounts for almost 30% of this region’s total rice demand. Therefore, the cost of importing rice imposes a burden on countries where poverty is a chronic problem in local communities. In order to generate a virtuous cycle in rice, its production in SSA should be enhanced, thereby making it imperative to improve crop productivity within the context of local rice production. In this regard, research and development play a crucial role in making substantial changes in an efficient and effective manner. During the past decade, rice production in SSA increased by 50% due to the increase in harvested area, which