Central African Republic, May 2025
Validation Workshop of the NRDS II: A Strategic Turning Point for Reviving the Rice Sector in the Central African Republic
Bangui, May 28–29, 2025 The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MADR) organized the national validation workshop for the National Rice Development Strategy – Phase II (NRDS II). Held at the AGETIP-CAF premises, the workshop brought together around thirty participants from public and private institutions, as well as technical partners, all united around a common goal: to provide the Central African Republic with a new strategic framework to sustainably revive its rice sector. The workshop was funded by IFAD.
A Fresh Boost for a Strategic Sector
The result of a participatory process launched in 2023, NRDS II aims to halve rice imports while boosting productivity, competitiveness, and the resilience of stakeholders along the value chain. The strategy is built around three key pillars:
– Institutional strengthening and sector governance.
– Improvement of production systems;
– Value addition, processing, and market access.
The strategy also foresees the creation of a coherent framework for coordination, monitoring & evaluation, and risk management, with the ambition of making rice a lever for food security, economic growth, and job creation.
Concrete Projects to Accelerate Impact
Three concept notes were presented and discussed, translating the strategic directions into operational projects:
- Rice Value Chain Improvement and Market Access Project (PACRAM): Enhancing the rice value chain and market access.
- Support Project to Produce Improved Rice Seeds (PAPROSAR): Promoting improved seeds to increase yields.
- Rice Intensification Project through micro-basin development, mechanization, and input supply.
These projects focus on priority areas such as Bouzoum and Sakaï and incorporate gender equality, youth employment, and appropriate infrastructure development.
Substantive Discussions and Structural Recommendations
The workshop helped enrich the strategy’s content through diverse contributions, ranging from the need for in-depth techno-economic studies to the creation of a centralized input supply mechanism. It was also recommended to group the three projects into a single, coherent national program to ensure data consistency and facilitate financing.
A National dynamic to sustain
The validation of NRDS II marks a crucial step in the revitalization of rice farming in the Central African Republic. The revised and validated document will be submitted to national authorities and then to CARD to support advocacy and resource mobilization efforts.
Following all presentations and rich, constructive discussions, the National Rice Development Strategy (NRDS II) document was validated with amendments.
