- The AfDB and ECOWAS have signed a $11.78 million grant to boost rice production across West Africa, aiming to reduce the region’s reliance on costly imports and enhance food security.
- The five-year REWARD-ECOWAS project will support policy reforms, input regulation, and digital monitoring to strengthen regional rice value chains.
- This initiative aligns with broader strategies to increase agricultural productivity and build resilience against global market shocks.
Commercial rice production is at the centre of the African Development Bank’s renewed push for food security in Africa, following the signing of a $11.78 million financing agreement with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission.
The agreement includes a $11.78 million grant from AfDB to bolster rice production across West Africa. ECOWAS will co-finance the initiative with $1.18 million, underlining the region’s shared goal of reducing reliance on costly rice imports.
“Increases in rice production will help ensure food security and reduce West Africa’s dependence on costly rice imports,” AfDB noted in a statement.
REWARD-ECOWAS project: Boosting regional rice value chains
The financing will support the Regional Resilient Rice Value Chains Development Program in West Africa (REWARD-ECOWAS), which was approved by the AfDB Board of Directors on 20 November 2024. The program aims to make the region’s rice sector more competitive and self-reliant.
Signing on behalf of the institutions were Dr. Alieu Omar Touray, President of the ECOWAS Commission, and Dr. Abdul Kamara, AfDB’s Director General for Nigeria.
Dr. Kamara said the initiative is vital to closing the supply-demand gap. “In 2021, West Africa produced around 14 million metric tons of milled rice, while the demand was over 22 million metric tons. This gap has led to significant rice imports, costing the region $3.5 billion annually.”
The AfDB official added that all 15 ECOWAS member states stand to benefit from the project.
Commercial rice production—a pillar of food and economic security
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Lagos, Nigeria, Dr. Touray welcomed the AfDB’s support and emphasized the urgency of the program. “Food and rice production is part of food security, which is also related to peace and security,” he noted.
The agreement is seen as a milestone in ECOWAS and AfDB’s efforts to increase agricultural productivity and strengthen regional food systems. Rice, in particular, is highlighted as both a staple food and an economic stabilizer in West Africa.
Despite Africa’s vast agricultural potential, most countries still rely on imports to meet demand, putting pressure on national economies and food systems. With demand expected to grow significantly, scaling up local production is no longer optional—it is urgent.
Transformational goals over five years
Under REWARD-ECOWAS, the project will be implemented over five years and will focus on:—
- Supporting agricultural policy reforms
- Improving regulation of agricultural inputs
- Enhancing digital monitoring systems for rice production
The ECOWAS Commission, through its Economic Affairs and Agriculture Department and the ECOWAS Rice Observatory, will oversee the initiative.
“This is a major step toward reducing import dependence, boosting food production, and reducing vulnerability to global market fluctuations,” said Dr. Kamara.
Touray echoed the urgency: “For us, an important project such as REWARD must be implemented fast.” He added that the initiative aligns with ECOWAS’ “4×4 Strategy” focused on regional peace and security, integration, good governance, and sustainable development.
Aligning with regional and continental blueprints
The REWARD-ECOWAS initiative feeds into broader regional and continental strategies, including the:
- ECOWAS Regional Rice Roadmap (2025–2035)
- Action Plan of the ECOWAS Rice Observatory
- AfDB Regional Strategy Paper for West Africa 2020–2025
These frameworks aim to increase agricultural productivity, build resilient food systems, and drive inclusive development.
“The new agreement offers ECOWAS countries the opportunity to transform their rice sectors, secure food sovereignty, and shield their economies from global market shocks,” the communique states.
Rice at the forefront of Africa’s agricultural strategy
The focus on rice is timely. The Russia-Ukraine conflict severely disrupted Africa’s grain supply chains, exposing the continent’s overdependence on imports.
A 2022 review by the Atlantic Council highlighted that more than 50 per cent of wheat imports in 15 African countries came from Russia and Ukraine before the war. For nations like Eritrea, Egypt, Benin, Sudan, Djibouti, and Tanzania, over 70 per cent of wheat imports originated from the two nations.
The fallout from that crisis has prompted a continental shift to enhance domestic grain production, with rice now at the center of Africa’s food security and economic resilience agenda.
The REWARD-ECOWAS program is more than a rice development project—it is a blueprint for regional resilience, job creation, and long-term food sovereignty.
With coordinated action and support from partners like AfDB, West Africa is positioning itself to not only feed its people but to secure its place in the global agricultural economy.
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