Chad, July 2026
CARD Secretariat Supports Chad in Operationalizing its National Rice Development Strategy (NRDS)
As part of its technical support to CARD member countries, the CARD Secretariat conducted a technical mission to N’Djamena, Chad, from 26 to 31 July 2026 to support the Government in the operationalization of its National Rice Development Strategy (NRDS). The mission marks an important milestone in the transition from strategic planning to the effective implementation of priority investments in the rice sector.
During the mission, the CARD Regional Advisor worked closely with the National Rice Task Force, the technical departments of the Ministry of Production and Agricultural Industrialization, and key development partners, including the Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP), the World Bank, and the FAO. The discussions helped strengthen the alignment of ongoing interventions with the national priorities for rice sector development.
Strategic tools successfully finalized
One of the mission’s major achievements was the finalization of the three concept notes corresponding to the priority investment projects identified under the NRDS. These projects focus on seed systems and agricultural inputs, irrigation development and sustainable mechanization, and rice value chain development together with private sector investment promotion. The finalized concept notes will now serve as the basis for future resource mobilization efforts with development partners.
The mission also enabled the finalization of the NRDS Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Framework. The Task Force agreed on a comprehensive set of 12 key performance indicators and data sources, to monitor the implementation of the NRDS. A pragmatic approach was adopted by relying exclusively on existing agricultural statistics regularly produced by the Department of Agricultural Statistics, thereby ensuring a sustainable, cost-effective monitoring system fully owned by national institutions.
First Annual Rice Sector Review scheduled for November 2026
Stakeholders agreed to organize the first Annual Rice Sector Review Meeting (ARSRM) in November 2026. This review will serve as the country’s principal mechanism for monitoring NRDS implementation and for fostering dialogue among the Government, development partners, the private sector, and producer organizations.
The CARD Secretariat was officially invited to support the National Rice Task Force in preparing and facilitating this first review, particularly through the development of technical documents, analysis of sector performance, and the sharing of good practices from other CARD member countries.
Towards enhanced investment mobilization
Meetings with the FSRP, the World Bank, and the FAO confirmed a strong convergence around the priorities of the NRDS, particularly in the areas of seed systems, irrigation, mechanization, and rice value chain development. The discussions also identified opportunities to integrate the NRDS priority investments into the USD 50 million additional financing recently allocated to the FSRP, while also exploring funding opportunities for the first Annual Rice Sector Review.
Chad enters a new implementation phase
The mission confirmed that Chad is now among the most advanced countries in the region in terms of NRDS operationalization. With an approved strategy, priority investment projects ready for financing, an operational monitoring and evaluation framework, and strong engagement from development partners, the country’s main challenge now lies in coordinating interventions and mobilizing the resources required to implement these priority investments.
Through this mission, the CARD Secretariat reaffirms its commitment to supporting the Government of Chad in this new phase and to contributing to the sustainable development of the country’s rice sector, with the goal of strengthening food security and agricultural transformation.
Visit to the Minister for Production, Irrigation and Agricultural Equipment of Chad
Taskforce team with CARD Regional advisor
