• Regional REWARD framework established to boost resilience and self‑sufficiency in West Africa’s rice sector

• $8.5 million programme launched in February 2026 in Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire

• Initiative builds on long‑standing continental strategy to strengthen rice production, processing and regional integration.

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB), in partnership with the Africa Rice Centre (AfricaRice) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), has launched an $8.5 million climate-resilient rice value-chain programme covering 14 West African countries.

The initiative aims to address long-standing structural constraints in the region’s rice sector. It was officially launched in February 2026 in Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire, providing technical support and coordination to efforts that have been under discussion for several years as part of a broader regional strategy.

REWARD-AfricaRice builds on earlier commitments by the AfDB and regional partners, including the REWARD framework first articulated at the 2023 Korea-Africa Forum for Economic Cooperation, which outlined a continental response to food insecurity and low agricultural productivity in West Africa. The broader REWARD initiative, designed to strengthen rice value chains in up to 15 ECOWAS countries, is linked to the Dakar Declaration on Food Sovereignty and Resilience and aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Comprehensive African Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP).

The phase, officially titled “Strengthening Adaptation to Climate Change of Rice Value Chains in West Africa,” will run through 2029 and covers Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. Its core objectives are to strengthen climate-resilient seed systems, promote sustainable farming practices, modernize processing technologies and improve regional coordination to support rice self-sufficiency across the sub-region.

At the launch ceremony, senior representatives from beneficiary countries, national project implementation units, research institutes and development partners stressed the importance of regional cooperation in addressing shared challenges. Boladale Adebowale, Coordinator of the ECOWAS Rice Programme, described rice as “a strategic commodity for food sovereignty and economic resilience in West Africa,” highlighting the programme’s role in advancing the region’s food security agenda. Eklou Attiogbevi-Somado, Head of the Regional Division for Agriculture and Agro-Industry at the African Development Bank, said the initiative forms part of the Bank’s broader strategy to strengthen food systems and promote economic stability. Baboucarr Manneh, Director General of AfricaRice, underscored the programme’s combination of science, innovation and institutional coordination to benefit farmers, processors and consumers across the region.

REWARD-AfricaRice is projected to raise rice yields from around two to seven tons per hectare, increase average annual farmer incomes from approximately $1,385 to $1,605, and create up to 78,000 jobs, including about 39,000 for women. By strengthening production capacity, processing infrastructure and regional market linkages, the programme aims to reduce West Africa’s heavy reliance on imported rice and boost intra-regional trade.

By Cynthia Ebot Takang