The Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) is a pan-African center of excellence for rice research, development and capacity building. It contributes to reducing poverty, ensuring food and nutrition security, and improving the livelihoods of farmers and other actors in the rice value chain in Africa by increasing the productivity and profitability of rice-based agri-food systems, while ensuring the sustainability of natural resources.

AfricaRice is one of the 15 international agricultural research centers of the CGIAR, a global research partnership for a future without hunger. It is also an intergovernmental association of African member countries.

It was created under the name “Association for the Development of Rice Cultivation in West Africa (ADRAO)” by 11 African countries and officially started operating in 1971. Recognizing the strategic importance of rice for Africa and the effective geographical expansion of the Center, its Council of Ministers took the historic decision in 2009 to change its name to: “Rice Center for Africa (AfricaRice)”.

Today, AfricaRice has 28 African countries: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Mozambique, Cameroon, Mozambique, Niger, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Mozambique, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Mozambique, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Mozambique, Niger, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Mozambique, Niger, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Mozambique, Niger, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Mozambique, Niger, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon, Cameroon

The strength of AfricaRice lies in its capacity to research rice for development adapted locally through knowledge and networks in the field. The Centre has carried out innovative work on many fronts that is transforming the lives of millions of rural households in Africa. He has contributed significantly to boosting the African rice sector through the improvement of seeds, farming practices, processing technologies, rice policy advice and capacity building.

The modus operandi of the Centre is partnership at all levels. Its research and development activities are carried out in collaboration with various actors — mainly National Agricultural Research Systems (SNRA), academic institutions, advanced research institutions, farmers' organizations, non-governmental organizations and donors — for the benefit of millions of African farmers and other actors in the rice value chain for whom this cereal is synonymous with food and livelihoods.

Based in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire, AfricaRice has approximately 230 agents, including 40 recruited internationally, who are assigned to Côte d'Ivoire, as well as at research stations in Madagascar, Nigeria and Senegal, and at project sites in Liberia and Senegal, and at project sites in Liberia and Uganda.

AfricaRice receives funding from governments, foundations, international financial institutions, international financial institutions, development banks, the private sector, as well as the CGIAR Trust Fund.