USADF Commits Funding for Women Rice Producers in Burkina Faso
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina-Faso, June 29, 2010/African Press Organization (APO)/ — The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) signed two grants to support women rice producers in Burkina Faso. The grants will benefit Union de Groupements des Etuveuses de Riz de Bama (UGER) and Union Départemental des Transformatrices et Etuveuses de Riz de Banzon (UDTER).
USADF President Lloyd Pierson stated, “It is important to fund women agricultural producers in Africa. These grants in Burkina Faso will not only support food initiatives in Burkina Faso, but income generating activities for women.”
Located in the Bama Department, UGER is comprised of 474 women members from eight member groups who process rice for their income. The UGER women have an expertise in the processing of local rice, demonstrated by yields up to 70% after drying which indicates a very good technical level. The quantity of processed rice has temporarily dropped as the Union has grown and requires organizational capacity building. Further, UGER works with rudimentary facilities and equipment and has limited capacity to distribute and market rice. The two year grant will fund training in improved management capacity, improved rice processing techniques, and marketing, the creation of drying areas at the Union headquarters and for each member group, and new processing equipment.
UDTER works to improve conditions and lives of poor rural women in the Banzon Department through processing and marketing of parboiled rice. With 364 women in 14 member groups, UDTER has conducted trainings and activities to benefit women processors. However, sales remain poor. Members have identified the need to focus on developing sustainable strategies for community life and management tools and methods to increase the effectiveness of UDTER while enhancing processing and marketing opportunities. The two year grant will fund training in improved management capacity, improved rice processing techniques, and marketing, procurement of rice stock, and development of market strategies.
USADF began programming in Burkina Faso in 2008. Burkina Faso’s current portfolio stands at fifteen investment projects totaling nearly $2 million.
SOURCE
The United States African Development Foundation (USADF)
