The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) has brought together Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Business Support Organisations (BSOs) across West Africa to strengthen the rice value chain and promote regional trade.
The two-day Rice Value Chain Activation Programme was held virtually on Sept. 28 and Sept. 29 through the ECA Subregional Office for West Africa (ECA/SRO-WA).
The programme was implemented under the West Africa Business Linkages Platform (WABLP) and aligned with the ECOWAS Regional Rice Programme.
Ngone Diop, Director, ECA/SRO-WA, said the initiative was aimed at translating research and analysis into commercial partnerships, stronger regional value chains and increased intra-regional rice trade.
Diop, represented by Amadou Diouf, Chief of the Sub-Regional Initiatives Section, ECA West Africa, said the initiative was informed by ECA studies on rice and cocoa value chains and the effects of geopolitical developments on West Africa.
“The initiative builds on ECA studies, including the assessment of rice and cocoa value chains between Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, and the impact of the war in Iran on West Africa.
“ECA has engaged more than 150 SMEs in the rice sector to understand their constraints, market opportunities and support needs.
“The consultations highlighted barriers such as limited access to finance, market linkages, processing capacity and cross-border trade opportunities,” she said.
Diop said the sessions were structured to produce practical business outcomes, including commercial connections among BSOs, SMEs, buyers, processors and finance providers.
She said the programme also targeted the development of Letters of Intent, Memoranda of Understanding and other commercial agreements, while strengthening the capacity of BSOs to support SMEs in accessing markets.
According to her, the programme also deepened participants’ understanding of opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), regional policy frameworks and the rice value chain.
“A 90-day follow-up mechanism will also be established to help translate discussions into concrete actions and partnerships,” she added.
The WABLP, an initiative of ECA/SRO-WA, brings together more than 500 BSOs and SMEs across ECOWAS member states.
The rice programme is the first under a broader value-chain activation approach aimed at strengthening enterprise linkages and promoting regional economic integration.
In the medium and long term, the initiative seeks to reduce West Africa’s reliance on external sources of rice, expand intra-regional trade and strengthen the resilience of food systems.
The programme also reflects ECA’s efforts to advance regional priorities under AfCFTA and ECOWAS frameworks by connecting economic research and analysis with practical opportunities for businesses.
