• The $16 million loan will finance the third phase of the integrated rice project.

• The program targets modernizing irrigated rice farming in southern Chad.

• Rice output rose 55% in 2024, but imports still cover domestic demand.

The Chadian government has obtained a $16 million loan from the OPEC Fund for International Development (OPEC Fund) to support the country’s rice sector. The announcement was made in a statement published on October 16 by the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

The funding will support the third phase of the Integrated Rice Development Project in the Chari-Logone Plain (PDRICL 3). Launched in 2014, the initiative aims to modernize irrigated rice farming in southern and south-central regions through hydro-agricultural developments, the construction of storage warehouses and drying areas, and technical and material support for farmers to improve yields.

Although the government has not yet detailed the schedule, objectives, or target regions for this new phase, the interventions are expected to sustain growth in Chad’s rice sector, which has expanded significantly in recent years.

According to data from the Bank of Central African States (BEAC), Chad’s paddy rice output increased by 55% year-on-year to reach 347,000 tons in 2024, marking a record for the sector.

Despite this progress, the country remains dependent on imports to meet domestic demand. Local media report that Chad imports between 150,000 and 200,000 tons of milled rice annually. Under its new national development plan, “Chad Connexion 2030,” launched in June, N’Djamena aims to boost national paddy production to 1.62 million tons by 2030—five times current levels—to achieve self-sufficiency and begin exporting.