The ongoing Yaounde confab is exploring means to surmount production, processing and marketing challenges.

Statistics show that Africa in 2012 produced about 27 million metric tons of paddy rice and when milled, it reduced to about 17 to 18 million metric tons against a continental demand of about 30 million metric tons. The rest is imported to bridge the demand/supply shortfall, which imports drain about 4 to 5 billion US dollars per annum, money that would have been directed to other productive sectors of economy were production optimal.

In 2009, the continent imported 10 million metric tons of milled rice, at a cost of US$ 5 billion. Participants at the ongoing third Africa Rice Congress in Yaounde say production has slightly improved over the years in some countries, thanks to research but fears are still rife that with high food and fuel prices predicted to last well into the current decade, relying on imports would no longer be a sustainable strategy. They hold that the development of the rice and related sectors will have considerable impact on the competitiveness of the continent’s economies and reduce the diversion of huge foreign currency exchange to imports.

The participants advocate enhanced local production, processing and marketing; synonymous with providing the continent’s cities with affordable food. “Rice production can create employment along the value chain and in related sectors and lead to improve nutritional status of the agricultural poor;” Marie-Noelle Ndjiondiop, researcher with Africa Rice Benin, said.

The Case of Cameroon

The country currently produces about 160,000 to 170,000 metric tons of rice per annum against a growing demand estimated at over 600,000 metric tons. Over FCFA 100 billion is needed yearly for imports to satisfy growing needs. According to Dorothy Malaa, Coordinator of Rice Project IRAD, also Focal Point of the ongoing congress, production has been increasing over the years. “There are many emerging farmers and regions in rice production especially in the Centre, South and East. All of this is because of the introduction of upland rice in Nerica varieties that give more than three metric tons per hectare,” she said.

Like other stakeholders in other countries, Mrs Malaa said one of the ways to boost local production is to embrace mechanisation. Current production methods, she noted, are strenuous as an average producer in Cameroon produces about half a hectare given that he needs to plough the land and harvest the rice. Curiously, several factors militate in favour of improved local rice production. Records show that the country possesses 240,000 hectares of cultivable land and barely 25,000 hectares have been developed.

Officials of SEMRY, UNVDA and other rice producers in the country and continent are therefore using the congress to debate technological and institutional innovations, policies and partnerships needed to ensure that rice sector development becomes a veritable engine for smallholder and agri-business development and economic growth in Africa.