The Women Farmers Advancement Network (WOFAN) ICON2 Project and consultants from the National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI) in Badegi, Niger State, have commenced activities aimed at enhancing food security and creating dignified job opportunities for young people.
The project has set ambitious goals for 2025, including reducing rice production and post-harvest losses, increasing income sources for smallholder farmers and processors, and improving food security through value addition strategies.
A meeting was held in Abuja to launch the new project year, attended by women’s groups from Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Gombe, Kaduna, and Nasarawa states, comprising community trainers and extension workers.
The session focused on strategising innovative approaches to enhance the economic and nutritional value of rice, aiming to create appealing end products that consumers are keen to purchase.
During the meeting, Hajia Maimuna Lawal, WOFAN-ICON2’s Strategy, Innovation, and Sustainability Director, highlighted that 30-40 per cent of rice produced in Nigeria is lost or wasted along the value chain.
According to her, these losses are caused by pests and diseases, suboptimal agronomic practices, poor handling, and a lack of processing infrastructure.
To address these issues, Hajia Lawal emphasised the importance of developing innovative products from rice harvested by smallholder farmers and processors, helping to recover losses and boost income.
Furthermore, she noted that utilising rice by-products for new products is expected to minimise losses along the value chain, thereby enhancing women’s economic prospects.
Dr Nehemiah Danbaba, a rice value chain specialist from the NCRI, stressed the potential of value addition in transforming poor-quality rice into high-value products. He cited the example of broken rice, typically rejected after sorting, which can be milled into flour to create a new product with diverse applications.
Such innovations, according to him, can significantly contribute to improved nutritional and economic outcomes for women and society.
Hajia Salamatu Garba, WOFAN-ICON2’s Country Project Director, stated that the initiative aligns with the Mastercard Foundation’s goal of creating dignified job opportunities for about 10 million young people, including women and people with disabilities. She kick-started the 2025 project year by cutting a cake baked with rice and groundnut flour and showcasing other innovative products, such as carbonised rice husks used to make briquettes and fertiliser.
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She said the strategic plan for 2025 includes introducing simple processing machines for various rice products and building the capacities of young people to engage professionally in value addition.
Other initiatives include enhancing and fortifying rice with essential nutrients and combining it with crops such as soybeans and groundnuts to create fortified rice and flour. These can then be transformed into various foods and snacks, such as nutritious rice cheese balls, rice sprinkles, and waina mix.
Through strategic partnerships with relevant research and regulatory bodies and the implementation of innovative practices, the project aims to empower women and young people in the rice value chain, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable and prosperous agricultural sector.
Mr Taiwo Olawale, the Operations and Business Manager of WOFAN, concluded the meeting by stating: “The successful implementation of these initiatives can pave the way for significant improvements in economic growth, boost food security, and scale up nutritional outcomes, resulting in multiplier benefits for the communities involved.”
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