Rice Investment Could Strengthen West Africa’s Food Security

Every year, West African nations spend over $3.5 billion importing rice, although the region has the land and water to grow far more than it currently produces. West Africans consume a lot of rice, as is evident from the amount spent on importing it, with demand rising 3–4% annually. However, local production covers only about 60% of the region’s annual demand for rice. To increase production, farmers can tap into the region’s irrigation potential, particularly in major river basins such as the Senegal River Valley. In addition, a coordinated regional financing platform could unlock private capital across seed systems, aggregation, and processing—areas that remain underfunded relative to other parts of the value chain. Sierra Leone’s Feed Salone program shows what is possible when policy and private investment are coordinated. Since 2019, the program has lifted rice self-sufficiency from 56% to 73% through local investment and school feeding programs.