The West African region is endowed with significant rice-growing potential, especially in Nigeria (2.4m hectares), in Guinea (1m hectares) and in Mali (0,5m hectares).

Rice cultivation is extensive in West Africa, with low yields between 1.5 and 3.6 tons of paddy rice per hectare, in Liberia and Senegal respectively. Production costs, which vary between $320 per ton of rough rice to $140 in Benin, compare favorably with those of the world’s main rice exporters. However, low productivity and high processing and marketing hamper the competitiveness of local rice on the regional market. The West African region depends on international imports for some 40% of its rice supply. Thailand, and, increasingly, Vietnam, are the region’s main rice suppliers.

The main importing are Benin/Nigeria, Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire. West Africa imports some 5m tons of rice, some 20% of rice traded internationally. Rice consumption is especially high in coastal countries. In Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Senegal and Sierra Leone, rice availability exceeds 60kg per capita per year. These countries are net rice importers. Rice accounts for a high proportion of the overall food intake of poor households; in these countries, imported rice is the cornerstone of household food access