Project profile — Support for Women’s Entrepreneurship Within the Rice Sector

The expected outcomes of this project include:: (1) the steady improvement of the strategic positioning of the women parboilers Regional Union located in Glazoué, of the women parboilers National Union and the rice farmers collaborative council of Benin taking into consideration the cross-cutting themes which are gender equality, governance and environmental sustainability; and (2) the continuous improvement of the profitability and the competitiveness of these women parboilers businesses (1500) through their associations (30) operating six rice steaming processing centres and one central wrapping centre.

Results achieved as of March 2021 include: 1) a facilitated access to credit worth over $ 1,300,000, making it possible to secure paddy supply for the partners’ benefit and contributed to a 725% increase in the marketing of parboiled rice; 2) the development of four irrigated perimeters with an area of six hectares each; 3) the construction of two municipal treatment centers and three others under construction; 4) the installation of equipment (mini-rice mill, electric sewing machine and blower) at the Glazoué final processing center in order to improve the quality and quantity of rice; 5) training of 623 women and 347 men rice farmers on paddy rice production techniques in order to improve the yield and quality of rice; 6) three functional literacy campaigns benefiting around 745 women parboilers, 554 of whom have completed the training.