Women rice processors from Bouaké
and Gagnoa, Côte d’Ivoire, undergoing a training course on the use of the GEM
rice-parboiling system, 4-8 December 2017, at AfricaRice Research Station in
M’bé near Bouaké, showed keen interest in learning about improved parboiling
and turning it into a profitable enterprise.
“Everything that we have learned
here about parboiling is new for us. We will use this knowledge and the GEM
technology to produce high-quality parboiled rice and we hope that one day we
can invite our President to relish our parboiled rice,” said Mrs Camara
Assetou, head of the women’s cooperative SCOOPS FG, Bouaké.
The training was the direct result
of a consultation meeting held by AfricaRice, CNRA and ANADER with rice
value-chain actors in Bouaké and Gagnoa in May 2017, during which rice
parboiling was identified as an important activity performed by women groups.
It was also clear from the consultation meeting that the women processors were
using rudimentary methods and equipment, leading to very poor quality parboiled
rice
Based on the feedback from the
consultation meeting, AfricaRice in partnership with CNRA organized the training
course on improved rice parboiling technology to strengthen the capacity of
selected women rice processors, who would serve as resource persons and trainers
of their peers.
The training was led by Dr Sali
Ndindeng, AfricaRice Grain Quality and Postharvest Technology Scientist. The
sessions were chaired by CNRA representatives, Prof. Jean Nemlin, Director of
Research and Lead of CNRA Post-harvest technologies and Central Laboratories and
Dr Ernest Depieu, Systems Agronomist.
The main objectives of the course
were the following:
- Use of AfricaRice’s GEM (Grain quality enhancer, Energy-efficient and durable Material) rice-parboiling system to improve the quality of rice and fuel-use efficiency,
- Use of rice husk as an alternative to wood fuel for rice parboiling, and
- Initiation of innovation platforms to link farmers, parboilers and millers in the respective zones
The training course included both
seminars and hands-on opportunities for all trainees. The topics covered among
others (1) General introduction to rice grain quality; (2) Role of parboiling
in improving rice grain quality; (3) Introduction to GEM; (4) Use of rice husk
as fuel; (5) Innovation platforms.
The practical sessions included all
the stages of GEM technology from washing, soaking, parboiling, drying and milling
rice as well as the use of the rice husk gasifier.
The
training was organized within the framework of the CGIAR Research Program on
Rice Agri-food Systems (RICE) Flagship Project 2 ‘Upgrading rice value-chain in
Africa’ and the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA) program on “Appui
technique aux programmes de mise en œuvre des Grandes orientations de la
Politique Agricole de l'Union (PAU) en vue de la relance du secteur rizicole en
Afrique de l'Ouest”.
Photos : https://tinyurl.com/yc8xs73d
Audiopodcast :
Dr Sali Ndindeng, AfricaRice Grain Quality and Postharvest Technology Scientist summarizing the training course on "Improved rice parboiling"
Dr Sali Ndindeng, Chercheur d’AfricaRice sur la Qualité des grains et technologies post-récolte donne un rapport synthétique sur le cours de formation sur "L'étuvage amélioré du riz"
Prof. Jean Nemlin, Director of Research and Lead of CNRA Post-harvest technologies and Central Laboratories speaking on the importance of parboiling in Côte d’Ivoire
Dr Ernest Depieu, CNRA Systems Agronomist talking on the potential of improved parboiled rice in Côte d’Ivoire
Mrs Camara Assetou, head of the women’s cooperative SCOOPS FG, Bouaké speaking of the benefits of the training course on "Improved rice parboiling"
Mrs Soro Adjaratou, Women parboiler from Gagnoa, speaking of the benefits of the training course on "Improved rice parboiling"
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