Grow Africa, in partnership with l’Agence pour le Développement de la Filière Riz (ADERIZ), set up in 2017 an inclusive rice multi-stakeholder platform in Côte d’Ivoire to secure interest and commitment from stakeholders in the rice value chain. The platform brought together on January 30, 2019, members of the rice value chain in Côte d’Ivoire to comment on its operational approach, which is going to help increase sustainable investments in the rice sector.

In Côte d’Ivoire, rice consumption has increased sharply in the last years, especially in urban centres, with an annual consumption growth rate estimated at 6%. In recent years, government has made significant efforts to achieve rice self-sufficiency, but acknowledges that the sector still faces constraints that mainly relates to low levels of investment.

The platform is pivotal in supporting implementation of the National Rice Development Strategy, whose goal is to meet national consumption requirements for quality rice and build an export surplus.

In his opening remarks, Mr Monsieur DEMBELE Yacouba, Director General of ADERIZ, presented the rice platform as a tool to help solve structure and financing problems faced by the sector in a synergised framework.

The platform coordination in Côte d’Ivoire briefed participants on its operational approach, which will:

(i) Improve the governance of the sector;

(ii) Support the development of viable business cases;

(iii) Create partnerships and facilitate investments;

(iv) Monitor the framework.

Participants commended the platform on progress made and called the platform to: Strengthen actors’ capacities in company governance and elaboration of business plans; (make the platform a permanent framework that intervenes on all topics at the request of stakeholders, and; Integrate technical development partners’ agriculture group.

The workshop also provided the opportunity for stakeholders to provide feedback on the terms of reference of the regional study for identifying business opportunities and improving the governance of the rice sector in ECOWAS member countries, with focus on Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Senegal.