Responding to consumers’ preference in African rice markets: experiences of Africa Rice Center

The main objective of this study is to decrypt Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) research for development strategies implemented to respond to consumers preferences for rice in sub-Sahara Africa. To achieve this, the study adopted case studies evidences and experimental approaches 1) to provide insight on urban consumers’ preferences for rice (local and imported rice) in relation to their willingness to pay and 2) to illustrate with the key value addition strategies implemented by AfricaRice to response to consumers demand in term of quality and attractiveness of rice products in Africa. The results of the decryption show that rice varieties grown locally in many African countries have good organoleptic and nutritional attributes that meet urban consumers’ preference if properly processed and branded. The out-scaling of the improved GEM rice processing plants developed by AfricaRice is not only playing a significant role in the upgrading of the quality of locally produced rice, but it is also beginning to improve the urban consumers’ acceptability of locally produced rice.