Republic of Korea 

Ministry of Agriculture in each participating country, Africa Rice, International Rice Research Institute and Korean Rural Development Agency

design and implementation of evidence-based rice t policies and programmes in three target countries – Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria.

The production, processing and institutional segments of the rice value chain for three countries have been strengthened as a result of the project. The project has laid the foundations for a more modern and profitable agricultural sector in the future in the countries in question, in particular by supporting the development of more efficient and inclusive rice. The knowledge gaps in the rice value chains have also been addressed to a significant extent.

• Assessments carried out in all three countries, leading to the identification and selection of producer organizations, small processing and other stakeholders along the value chain for capacity-building programmes.
• 900 people trained on management, record-keeping, contract negotiation and marketing in December 2016 in Yamoussoukro, Côte d’Ivoire.
• Knowledge and experience-sharing workshop held in Abidjan in May 2017 for international rice value chain specialists. 
• Two training workshops, one on rice selection and agribusiness in the rice value chain, the other on harvesting and post-harvest technologies, held at the Regional Centre of Africa Rice in Saint-Louis, Senegal.
• Two parboiling units using improved GEM technologies acquired and installed, with parboiling kits distributed to two female groups of steamers in Gagnoa, Côte d’Ivoire and 28 women trained in their use. 
• A processing unit and agricultural and technical kits acquired for the benefit of actors in the value chain.
• 60 women in Burkina Faso working in rice processing trained on use of modern processing technologies.
• In addition, 66 stakeholders from three regions learned group dynamics and leadership, opened bank accounts and formalized their activities.