From Parboiling Pots to Prosperity: The Matching Grant Fund Powering Women-Led Growth in the Rice Value Chain.

When opportunity meets determination, transformation follows.

Memunatu Alhassan reflects on the journey of Lolandi Rice Milling Centre, she is clear about one thing: the turning point came with support from the Matching Grant Fund (MGF) collaboration.

Before the intervention, Memunatu, fondly known as Hajia memuna was already a committed rice processor, but like many women-led agribusinesses, her operations were constrained by limited capacity, weak market linkages, and high post-harvest losses. The potential for growth was there, but the resources to unlock it were not.

That changed when Lolandi Rice Milling Centre received support under the Rice Matching Grant Fund (MGF) from the GIZ-MOVE project, which enabled Hajia Memuna to implement her project, “Improving the Livelihood of All Parties in the Rice Value Chain through Parboiling.” MGF investment enabled Hajia Memuna to significantly increase processing capacity, allowing her enterprise to absorb more paddy from farmers and offer consistent offtake. This improvement directly benefitted 1,937 farmers, who were supported through Sustainable Rice Production (SRP) practices that improved productivity while safeguarding environmental sustainability.

Capacity building was a central pillar of MGF-supported intervention. Through targeted training in good parboiling and post-harvest handling practices, Hajia memuna reached 9,603 beneficiaries, comprising both direct women beneficiaries and indirect participants across the value chain. These trainings led to measurable improvements in rice quality, reductions in post-harvest losses, and increased incomes for farmers and processors alike.

To strengthen farmers’ commercial skills, MGF support also facilitated Farmer Business School activities, directly benefiting 1,047 farmers. These sessions improved record-keeping, production planning, and market engagement, enabling farmers to make more informed business decisions and engage more confidently with buyers.

Workplace safety was another important outcome of the intervention. With support from the Matching Grant Fund, 505 individuals received fire safety and firefighting training, significantly improving safety standards within the processing environment and reducing operational risks for workers and processors.

The expansion of Lolandi Rice Milling Centre translated into concrete employment outcomes. As a direct result of MGF support, five additional staff were employed, three women and two men, across processing and operational functions. Innovation further strengthened employment creation. Through the development of three new value-added rice products, the enterprise engaged two additional staff to support this new product line. These products are currently undergoing verification and regulatory approval and are expected to access larger and more competitive markets once approved.

Today, the impact of the Matching Grant Fund is visible throughout the Lolandi Rice value chain, from 9,603 individuals benefiting from improved parboiling practices to 1,047 farmers strengthening their business skills, 1,937 farmers adopting sustainable production methods, 505 workers operating in safer environments, and seven new jobs created within the enterprise.

For Hajia Memuna, MGF support did more than expand a business; it enabled her to become a catalyst for inclusive growth. This success story demonstrates how strategic Matching Grant Fund investment in women-led enterprises can strengthen value chains, empower women economically, and deliver measurable, sustainable development outcomes for communities.

The bar chart above illustrates the progress of Lolandi Rice mill from baseline to the MGF intervention.