From my Archives: Rice Production in West Africa — from past to future…

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is projected to be the Leader in Global Rice Imports; while rice as a crop has continued to remain important as a main staple across the region, especially in Western Africa, its level of production (yields) has progressively been low over several decades; none-the-less, the region has undergone economic, social, and demographic transformations during the past 10 to 15 years. Among the poorest regions in the world, it faces major political and economic challenges along with low food security; however, SSA has a young, fast-growing population with considerable prospects for economic growth, and which signals hope for socio-economic improvements across the region.

Background highlights, decades after my research:

  • Rice has become a valued staple food and an increasing source of calories in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) as economic growth & rising urbanization modify consumption patterns and consumer preferences toward more rice and away from traditional foods such as millet and sorghum.

  • Therefore, SSA rice imports will continue to grow as escalating  demand outpaces expansion in local rice production. USDA projects imports will grow from 12.3 million tons in 2017 to 15.4 million by 2026. With imports soon expected to surpass those of Asia, the region is likely to become the leading destination in the global rice trade.

  • AGRIFERT’s take: unless imminent soil and plant nutriment analysis are conducted in the region’s rice cultivation farmlands, food scarcity and associated woes are just a milestone on the corner.

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