High-quality paddy rice on the menu at rice mills in the Hauts-Bassins region

Rice cultivation is expanding worldwide, driven by a growing demand for rice from the global population. This trend is stimulating in West Africa the development of the processing industry which transforms paddy rice into a ready-to-eat product.

However, the processing mills are still struggling to remain competitive in the market. These challenges can be explained, among other things, by the poor quality of the raw material and a lack of knowledge about rice quality standards. Aware of this issue, the Market-Oriented Value Chains for Jobs and Growth in the ECOWAS Region (MOVE) project has launched a training program dedicated to the classification and quality control of paddy rice for the benefit of its rice mill partners in the Hauts-Bassins region in Burkina Faso.

The quality of each grain counts

  The quality standards are crucial when it comes to food safety and food processing. Paddy rice is no exception: it must be healthy, fit for human consumption, and meet market requirements. A poor-quality paddy rice can have a significant impact on the productivity and

the yield of a rice mill.

Fig 1. The trainer indoor using calculations to explain the physical quality control of the paddy rice. Source @ GIZ/MOVE

Within this framework, a specialized training course was organized from July 14 to July 19, 2025, in Bobo-Dioulasso. This training brought together 20 participants (warehouse workers, quality control specialists, inventory managers, etc.) from ten (10) rice mills, with two (02) representatives per mill. The objective was to strengthen their skills through five (05) days of theoretical training indoor and one (01) day of practical training on site at a rice mill.

Skills development for value addition

Participants were trained in both local and international standards for paddy rice quality, particularly in the key criteria namely moisture, impurity and infestation rates, etc. To ensure better understanding, some physical tests were conducted at the Nebnooma Rice Mill, which kindly hosted the practical sessions.  

The paddy grading training is part of a long-term support initiative. A simplified digital tool was provided to rice mills to enable them to continuously assess the quality of the paddy rice they receive, even after the training has been processed. Moreover, as part of institutionalizing the best practices, the “Ministry of Agriculture and Animal and Fisheries Resources (MARAH)” was involved in the activity through the participation of the “Hauts-Bassins Regional Directorate (DRARAH)”.

Fig 2. The trainer presenting the work materials to participants in the storage room of the Nebnooma Rice Mill during the practical phase. Source @ GIZ/MOVE

A lever for improving profitability

The introduction of this training course on paddy classification and quality control aims to improve the overall performance of rice mills in Burkina Faso. Through mastering quality standards, the rice mills will be better equipped to ensure that their production complies with the national and international standards, thereby strengthening consumers’ confidence while increasing demand for their processed rice.

Fig 3. A participant practicing quality control of paddy rice. Source @ GIZ/MOVE