Benin, Collines Department, Bantè, Dassa-Zoumè, Glazoué, Ouèssè, Savalou, Savè communes
May 2017- Nov 2023
5,300 women rice parboilers
• URFER-C (Regional women rice parboilers’ union)
• UNIRIZ (Producers’ union)
• CCR-B (Collaboration framework of stakeholders in the rice industry)
• MAEP (Ministère de l’agriculture, l’élevage et la pêche)
10,611 373 $CAN (AMC) including 636,000$ from CECI
This project seeks to strengthen the strategic positioning of associations by integrating issues of gender equality, good governance and sustainable management of the environment. It also aims to constantly improve profitability and competitiveness of the rice parboilers’ businesses. As part of the implementation of the Interprofession and the
collaborative framework of the women parboilers, the CCR-B be provided with technical assistance. Training sessions and support will also be provided to support the union and cooperative leaders engaging in public/private dialogue (lobbying and advocacy). Furthermore, the organizations’ leaders will benefit from technical support in governance, accounting and financial sustainability, including the monitoring and evaluation of the plans.
In its implementation, the project will specifically target skills in business management and start-up. The leaders of URFER-C and UNIRIZ-C will receive technical assistance in order to build these skills. Professionals will be coached and mentored through the delivery of consulting services related to business planning, governance, accounting and financial
management of member businesses and cooperatives. Consulting services in productivity, quality and marketing management will also be offered.
Unions and cooperatives are also looking to increase the competitive advantage of their rice. To this end, the PAEFFR is working on the implementation of socially and environmentally conscious irrigation systems throughout the six communes of the Collines. It is delivering training sessions on production practises adapted to climate change in order to reduce losses. Processing centres will also be built or re-equipped specifically to face environmental issues.
Activities will take place to facilitate access to adapted financial services and products for URFER-C, its communal cooperatives and UNIRIZ-C. To this effect, a memorandum of understanding will be negotiated with a financial institution of the region. In addition, adapted financial services and products will be offered to unions and cooperatives through a partner financial institution. Last, credit management training will be provided to the organization's leaders.
Convincing results:
In 2023, in the mixed producer structures supported by the project, an average of 37% of decision-making positions are held by women, some of whom hold strategic positions such as president, treasurer or secretary. In 2017, women held only 25% of these positions.
Since the beginning of the project, the quantities of parboiled rice sold each year by the partner structures have multiplied by more than 10, reaching 335 tonnes in 2022.
532 people, including 506 women rice parboilers, have benefited from literacy training.
"Today, the fear of judgment, the fear of speaking out... all that is gone. We can speak in front of any audience, even the authorities. Women know their rights, and they demand them, and so on. We're not the same people we were four years ago [...]" Cyprienne DOSSOU, commune of Glazoué
See the PAEFFR documentary:
See the contribution of men in promoting gender equality, through the PAEFFR projec
Supporting Women's Entrepreneurship in the Rice Sector - A CECI Project in Ouèssè, Benin
50% increase in women’s participation rate in decision-making bodies of UNIRIZ and CCR-B.
10% increase rice volume marketed every year
5,300 women entrepreneurs have received consulting services and training
Tras 6 años, el proyecto de apoyo a la iniciativa empresarial de las mujeres en la industria del arroz (PAEFFR) finalizó sus actividades en 2023. Los resultados son muy positivos y la sostenibilidad del proyecto está garantizada por los socios locales.