African Development Foundation

A United States Government Agency

Benin GRANT WIN Rice Award

USADF Rice Projects in Benin Change Local Economies

WASHINGTON - November 8, 2011  

WASHINGTON, D.C. – November 8, 2011 -The Collaborative Council of Rice Farmers honored USADF for its outstanding work to improve Benin’s rice sector this month in Cotonou.  The Collaborative Council of Rice Farmers promotes development efforts in Benin’s local rice production. This year’s award is the first of its kind for USADF in the West African nation. USADF grants enable communities to purchase new tools, improved seeds, and production equipment, such as grain grinders, that help farmers increase profits by as much as 300 percent. 

 USADF grants benefit both local consumers, who have a taste for Benin’s popular rice dishes, and help more than 2,000 farmers and rice product vendors bring more money home.

 "I’m very happy to know that USADF is playing a key role in developing Benin’s rice sector and helping the people of Benin achieve food security,” said USADF Country Program Coordinator in Benin Eric Newman. “We are seeing great results working in remote marginalized communities who haven’t received this scale of funding before.”                                                                                 

“Rice farming collectives and processing groups are critical in the fight against poverty across Africa.  USADF grants help farmers improve business strategies and increase the amount of locally produced and processed rice in 14 African countries.

Farmers often struggle to send their products to local markets, have little to no credit, and lack modern equipment to achieve greater yields. USADF grant funds help Africans to grow, process, and market a locally produced white rice, which sells for a higher price.

 As a cereal grain, rice is the most important staple food for a large part of the world's population and is quickly becoming a favorite food choice in sub-Saharan Africa. Rice is a strategic product because of its importance in meeting locally produced food needs and as a regional export commodity.  Once considered a special treat on feast days, rice is now eaten daily in both rural and urban areas throughout Africa.

 Many of USADF’s rice projects go beyond just increasing household incomes and help create jobs for former refugees, widows and orphans in post conflict countries such as Liberia and Burundi.

 In conflict prone eastern Mali, the Multi-Purpose Cooperative of Bourem Inaly is using is improved hullers and packaging materials to increase production and distribution methods to improve community nutrition.  In turn this creates greater food security in areas subject to instability and extremism.

 USADF has more than $3.7 million invested in 32 rice projects from Sierra Leone to Uganda that impact rural, grassroots organizations and more than 50,000 African lives.

To learn more about USADF’s program with marginalized communities and populations, visit http://www.usadf.gov.  Follow us on Twitter @USADF.

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