AfricaRice partnership and Ivory Coast push boost rice yields for food security

AfricaRice and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) signed a five‑year agreement on 21 July to accelerate adoption of improved rice varieties and agronomic practices across 32 African nations. The programme aims to raise average yields from under 2 tonnes per hectare to about 3 tonnes, helping close the gap of roughly 18 million tonnes between the continent’s 2023‑2025 rice consumption (45.3 Mt) and its production (27.6 Mt). Reducing reliance on imports from South‑East Asia is intended to protect African economies from global price shocks.

In parallel, Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Agriculture, led by Minister Kobenan Kouassi Adjoumani, is targeting rice self‑sufficiency by the end of 2026 under the National Agricultural Investment Programme and the National Rice Development Strategy. The country, a major West African agricultural producer, aims to cut its 2024 food‑import bill of 2 161 billion CFA and lessen exposure to international supply disruptions. Both initiatives reflect a broader continental effort to strengthen food sovereignty and improve livelihoods through higher rice productivity.