A Framework for Promoting the Rice Sector in Burkina Faso

An important meeting of stakeholders in the rice sector opened on Wednesday, November 9, 2016, in Ouagadougou under the chairmanship of the representative of the Minister of Agriculture and Water Development, Moussa Maïga. The meeting set a framework for sharing experiences in promoting the rice sector in Africa. This international consultation framework was initiated by the Agricultural Development Program from the German Technical Cooperation (GIZ), in the wake of the Competitive African Rice Initiative (CARI) project. For the latter country, four promoters, namely the Wend Yam rice mill in Bobo, the Union Nationale des Étuveuses de Riz du Burkina, the Faso Malo rice mill in Bama, and the Wend Konta rice mill in Bagré, were selected as beneficiaries of the project.

Each of these promoters have a Matching Fund, 40% of which is subsidized, and the other 60% is financed by each promoter. The Ouagadougou meeting is not only about sharing experiences in promoting the rice sector in Africa, but also an opportunity to take stock of the CARI project's mid-term implementation.

“In Burkina Faso, rice is the 4th most important cereal crop"

said the representative of the Minister of Agriculture and Water Development, Moussa Maïga. The added value of rice is estimated at 8 billion CFA francs, with a national production of paddy rice of more than 325 tons. “Despite this recent increase in production, rice imports have risen to more than 38 billion CFA francs since 2011”, he said. National production covers only 37% of consumption needs. Paradoxically, the country has the potential to develop lowlands and irrigated areas estimated at 233,500 and 500,000 hectares respectively for rice production. In this regard, the Agricultural Development Program has decided to support and promote the rice sector, since 2010.

”The opportunity of this international conference of stakeholders in the rice sector was seized”

said Mr. Maïga, and thus also welcomed the GIZ approach based on the promotion of entrepreneurship in the private sector. He also urged the participants to engage in constructive exchanges with a view to consolidating and sustaining the actions undertaken. In addition, Moussa Maïga expressed the willingness of the government to accompany and continue this initiative, in collaboration with all actors and national as well as international stakeholders.

Before announcing the end of the project scheduled for December 2017,

"we have already negotiated a small extension of Phase I, until the maximum 2018. So we're not going to leave you just yet,"

retorted one of the financial partners.

In addition, a second phase of the project is being prepared. Mr. Maïga concluded with the following words:

"We would like to take this opportunity to renew our interest in benefiting from the second phase of the CARI project, given its impact on the rice sector in Burkina."

Rice is considered a value chain creator. As a reminder, the dream of CARI is to impact 122,000 producers by 2017. For Burkina Faso, it aims to improve the food base and incomes of 12,000 rice producers, 30% of whom are women, and integrate them into sustainable and competitive business models that lead to increased production and improved paddy quality.