Final evaluation of the project “Partnership for sustainable rice systems development in sub-Saharan Africa”

Rice consumption in Africa has increased dramatically over recent decades, growing faster than consumption of any other major staple on the continent. However, apart from Egypt, no African country is currently self-sufficient in terms of rice consumption. From May 2014 to December 2019, FAO helped to develop sustainable and productive rice systems in ten beneficiary countries.

South-South Cooperation was demonstrated to be an excellent mechanism for pooling resources and efforts in innovation and development processes. Sharing knowledge with decision makers and political consultation at the highest level was useful to reaffirm and update policies strategies and intervention priorities, and to mobilize partners from a large number of countries. Several producers, producer groups and communities successfully moved from subsistence farming to commercial farming by increasing production, reducing post-harvest losses and improving quality of rice.