Partnership for Impact: AfricaRice DG Welcomes Mastercard Foundation CEO at the Sahel Regional Station

From left to right: Reeta Roy (Mastercard Foundation CEO), Dr. Baboucarr Manneh (AfricaRice DG), and the delegation at AfricaRice Sahel Regional Station experimental farm. (Photo Credit: Mastercard Foundation)

July 22, 2024, Saint-Louis, Senegal — Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) Director General, Dr. Baboucarr Manneh, hosted the CEO of the Mastercard Foundation, Reeta Roy, at AfricaRice’s Sahel Regional Station. This visit occurred few weeks after the kick-off workshop of the RIZAO program, fully funded by the Mastercard Foundation. This visit symbolizes a crucial milestone in strengthening the partnership between both organizations, aiming to provide young Africans with dignified and fulfilling employment opportunities. Building on the success of the Rice Agripreneurship Project (RAP) implemented in Senegal by both organizations, this strengthened collaboration is expected to drive impactful initiatives, enhancing the agricultural sector and fostering economic growth in the region.

During this visit, attended by a Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) representative and 6 AfricaRice staff members, 3 women rice producers and processors shared insights on their businesses. They discussed their collaboration with AfricaRice, the financial support received from the Mastercard Foundation, its socio-economic impact, and their future outlooks. "Thanks to the RAP, I have been able to create my own company during the challenging times of COVID-19. Despite the hardships, we thrived by creating jobs through my company. Today, we are innovating with quality packaging, and our rice is now available in supermarkets across Senegal", explained Mrs. Fambaye Diop, Rice Producer/Processor.

Another highlight of this visit was the tour to the experimental farm, during which the CEO of the Foundation got a firsthand look at some of the key innovations developed by AfricaRice. The tour included a presentation on some strategic aspects relevant to the RIZAO program, including product profiling to meet consumer’s' preferences following the approach "from fork to Farm" adopted by the program; breeder seed production to supply seed companies and connect with processors; seed value chain in Senegal and their value-added impacts.

About the RIZAO Program

The RIZAO program, fully funded by the Mastercard Foundation, aims to create job opportunities for young people in the rice value chain in West Africa (Benin, Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal and Togo). It will contribute to job creation for young people – especially women. It aims to reach 2,205,000 financially disadvantaged people in the rice sector and contribute to the creation of 441,000 jobs (70% of which will be dedicated to young women).

The program harnesses various partners through 6 integrated components (pillars):

·       Pillar 1: support seed companies run by youths

·       Pillar 2: empower young smallholder farmers

·       Pillar 3: boost job creation through processing companies 

·       Pillar 4: improve market access to reduce poverty

·       Pillar 5: promote local rice

·       Pillar 6: establish an enabling legal and institutional framework