 |
| Photo courtesy: FAO |
The critical role and investment needs of rice milling to accelerate rural transformation in Africa were highlighted during a workshop on ‘Leveraging small and medium rice millers for rural transformation and investment in the rice sector in Africa,’ that was organized jointly by FAO, AfricaRice and the Rice Council of Tanzania, 28-30 May 2019, in Dar-es-Salam, Tanzania.
 |
| Photo courtesy: FAO |
More than 45 participants representing public and private sectors from
nine countries (Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Mali, Nigeria,
Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda), CARD, JICA, FAO, AfricaRice and IRRI
participated.
The workshop benefited from the analysis of pilot surveys conducted to
address the knowledge gap in the middle segment of the rice value chain in three
selected countries (Senegal, Kenya and Tanzania) as part of a project through
FAO’s Government Cooperative Program (GCP) with support from the Japanese
Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF). The output of the
project is intended to provide guidance for public sector policy making and
private sector investment to rice value chains in Africa.
 |
| Dr Aminou Arouna, AfricaRice Impact Assessment Economist, coordinated the workshop in partnership with FAO and the Rice Council of Tanzania, 28-30 May 2019 Photo courtesy: FAO |
Since the 2008 food crisis there has been growing investment in rice
crop production in sub-Saharan Africa. The increased focus on agriculture
production alone however will not deliver on food security and nutrition
objectives, nor will it produce the results required for rural communities to
move out of poverty. In many developing countries, agri-food industries
consisting of mostly micro, small, and medium food processors, have been a key
catalyst in making the transition from agriculture-based systems to diversified
economies possible.
The workshop underlined the vital role of small and medium-sized
enterprises (SMEs) in providing rural employment and market linkages for
smallholders. It also highlighted that lack of investment in the middle segment
of the rice value chain, characterized by post-farm activities such as transport,
storage and processing, has broad rural development implications.
 |
| Photo courtesy: FAO |
Key findings and recommendations from the pilot surveys were shared
among the participants. Discussions covered actions, policies, mechanisms and
investment frameworks needed to upgrade the role of milling segment in linking
smallholders to rice value chains in Africa. Workplans per country for
private-public consortium for improving private sector investment (including
domestic and foreign) in rice milling segment were developed.
