Notes to broadcasters
Mali’s economy is built on agriculture in general and rice production in particular. Mali is the second largest producer of rice in West Africa. Over the years, production of millet, sorghum, and maize has declined in favour of rice, which now latter represents more than 30% of the cereals produced in the country. The Malian authorities are taking steps to help the sector develop and contribute to rice self-sufficiency. However, the rice sector faces several challenges.
In this radio script, we speak with four interviewees. A coordinator, an expert, and two presidents committed to the cause. They talk about rice marketing in Mali and the problems facing the rice sector.
To produce a similar program about new strategies to sell rice, you could use this script as a guide. If you decide to present it as part of your regular program, you may choose to have the interviewees represented by voice actors or presenters. In this case, please inform your audience at the beginning of the program that these are the voices of voice actors and radio presenters, not the actual interviewees.
If you want to create programs about rice producers who adopt new strategies for selling their rice, talk to people who are knowledge about rice production and marketing, rice specialists, and other stakeholders involved in rice production and marketing. For example, you could ask them the following questions:
- What challenges do rice farmers face when trying to market their rice?
- What are the existing strategies for dealing with competition from imported rice?
- What provisions has the government made to assist the sector?
- How do women contribute to the rice marketing sector?
Estimated duration of radio script with music, intro and extro: 20 minutes
Script
HOST:
Hello, listeners, welcome to our program.
Today we are talking about rice marketing and the challenges of rice marketing and the solutions, with a focus on women’s participation.
Our expert Abdoulaye Koureicihi and other people involved in the rice sector are going to enlighten us on this topic.
First, we will talk with Abdoulaye Koureichi, who will give us a brief overview of rice cultivation in Mali. He is the national coordinator of the network of rice producers in Mali. Second, we will hear from agronomist Zoumana Goita, who shares his experience about the challenges of rice production. Third, we will talk to Faliry Boly, who will tell us about marketing local and imported rice. He is President of the interprofession, in other words, the associations that work in rice production in Mali. Finally, we will talk to Modibo Koita about the role that women play in rice marketing. He is President of SOCREM, the Cooperative Society of Parboiled Rice Traders.
ABDOULAYE KOUREICHI:
Thank you for inviting me.
HOST:
How is the rice industry doing in Mali?
ABDOULAYE KOUREICHI:
The sector is doing well. Rice farming in Mali is second only to maize in terms of production. The overall rice production is currently three million tons of rice per year. Rice is consumed by a large portion of the population. In 1990, consumption was 13 kg per person per year; today, consumption is 75 kg per person per year.
Since 2008, the Malian authorities have launched initiatives that have led to this rice boom, including subsidizing rice seed and other inputs. These measures have led to an increase in rice production. Currently in Mali, local rice production accounts for 95% of total production. This shows that Mali is self-sufficient in local rice and that the need for imported ricehas been reduced.
HOST:
Can we say that Mali is self-sufficient in rice?
ABDOULAYE KOUREICHI:
Yes, Mali is 95% self-sufficient in local rice, but it needs 5% of imported rice.
HOST:
Is the quality of Malian rice good enough to be marketed?
ABDOULAYE KOUREICHI:
Yes and no. Yes, because the rice produced during the season is consumed immediately. No, because at the milling level, we have a problem. There are several varieties of rice that do not have the kinds of qualities that are preferred in the marketplace.
HOST:
What are the stages in rice marketing?
ABDOULAYE KOUREICHI:
First, there is primary marketing, which consists of selling the rice locally in Mali.
Secondly, we have producers who give their rice to organizations to be sold to foreign traders and small retailers.
Third, there is institutional purchasing, which is marketing between the organizations and State institutions.
HOST:
What are the difficulties that rice farmers face?
ABDOULAYE KOUREICHI:
First, rice farmers do not have modern processing tools such as regular-sized and smaller rice mills.
Second, the State does not control the way rice is distributed within the country or the export and importation of rice into the country. Thus, the price of imported rice could be less than local rice, disadvantaging local rice farmers.
HOST:
What role do women play in marketing rice?
ABDOULAYE KOUREICHI:
Women are the key players in the sector. When you look at the means of production, women do the transplanting, the post-harvest work, and the marketing. They are grouped in co-operatives and are the backbone of rice production.
HOST:
Are women involved in all stages of marketing?
ABDOULAYE KOUREICHI:
Yes, women are involved in all stages of marketing. Women are involved in marketing and transplanting. They contribute a lot to selling the product, even if it is in small quantities.
HOST:
Thank you, Abdoulaye Koureichi. We will now talk to Mr. Zoumana Goita, an agricultural engineer.
Thank you for accepting our invitation.
What are the difficulties that producers face in marketing rice?
ZOUMANA GOITA:
Producers lack storage warehouses, equipment such as processing machines and tractors, and access to government subsidies.
HOST:
What should be done to remedy all these marketing difficulties?
ZOUMANA GOITA:
The State must improve market access conditions, in other words, they must make it easier for producers to sell their rice abroad. In addition, the State must add value to Malian rice and make the rice-growing sector more viable by asking institutions to buy local rice.
HOST:
Is the quality of Malian rice good enough to be marketed?
ZOUMANA GOITA:
Malian rice is good quality and highly valued in the sub-region. This is why it is bought and consumed much more in other countries than in Mali. About 85% of Malian rice is exported.
HOST:
Does Mali sell many tons of rice each year?
ZOUMANA GOITA:
The quantity varies according to the year—sometimes we sell up to 200,000 tons.
HOST:
Are women involved in rice marketing?
ZOUMANA GOITA:
Women are involved in marketing from the beginning to the end. They are at the foundation of rice marketing. They buy the rice and sell it to consumers. So, they are the key players in marketing.
HOST:
What is the State doing to help rice producers market their rice?
ZOUMANA GOITA:
The State buys Malian rice to supply the national cereal banks so that producers can produce more rice in following rice seasons. It calls on Malian institutions such as the World Food Program and local humanitarian NGOs to buy Malian rice so that farmers can earn more.
HOST:
Can Mali export its rice to other sub-regions?
ZOUMANA GOITA:
Mali manages to market its rice without any problems, especially parboiled rice.
Mali is a model in rice marketing because its rice is bought throughout Africa and around the world. Mali has marketing mechanisms that are well-adapted to the market.
HOST:
Thank you, Mr. Zoumana Goita. The third speaker is Mr. Faliry Boly. He is President of the rice interprofession in Mali.
Mr. Faliry Boly, good morning!
HOST:
Thank you for being here with us today.
HOST:
What is the rice marketing process and who are the actors in this sector?
FALIRY BOLY:
Local or imported rice is marketed throughout the country, with a special focus on the regions of Segou, Sikasso and the north of the country, including Gao and Timbuktu. Rice from these areas is sold to countries such as Niger, Senegal, Mauritania, Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Côte d’Ivoire and vice versa. Processing paddy into rice is carried out through small-scale rice processing plants. These plants process and market rice through traders’ co-operatives and rice co-operatives.
HOST:
What are the best rice distribution and marketing strategies?
FALIRY BOLY:
The Malian rice interprofession was created in 2016 and consists of four professional families: the national platform of Malian rice producers, the national association of Malian rice traders, the national association of rice processors, and the national federation of road transport operators. The goal of this organization is to coordinate activities between the State and these organizations.
HOST:
What role do women play in producing and marketing rice?
FALIRY BOLY:
Women are the pillars of rice production and sales, but they are less involved in rice marketing because the wholesale traders are men. Women sell in limited quantities.
HOST:
Thank you, Mr. Faliry Boly. Our last speaker is Modibo Koita. He is President of SOCREM, the Cooperative Society of Parboiled Rice Traders.
HOST:
What are the difficulties that producers face in selling rice?
MODIBO KOITA:
First of all, there is no organization that can properly supervise all rice transactions. The organizations that deal with rice transactions are not able to control the large flow of rice coming in and out of the country. Secondly, in Mali, there is a minimum yield per area of 1,000 to 2,000 tons of rice per year, which means that the yield is small compared to producers abroad. Finally, producers lack storage facilities and equipment such as processing machines, tractors, and access to government subsidies.
HOST:
What should be done to remedy all these difficulties?
MODIBO KOITA:
The State can help small-scale rice farmers by buying their rice or by assisting them in promoting their products. If possible, the government could finance them and facilitate their access to the world market.
HOST:
What role do women play in your organization?
MODIBO KOITA:
Currently, there are no women in the co-operative. Women are mainly involved in production. They have their own co-operatives. But they can join at any time—we are ready to welcome them.
HOST:
Dear listeners, we have talked about rice marketing and women’s involvement in the process. During our program, we interviewed several experts in the field, including government and independent services, as well as commodity chains.
We talked about the challenges of marketing and the solutions. We also highlight the place of women in marketing. We hope that you have been well-informed about the whole marketing process and that you will be able to put into practice what you have learned.
Thank you very much for your kind attention. Goodbye and we will be back soon.
Acknowledgements
Contributed by: Aly Ibrahim, Journalist in Gao, Mali
Reviewed by: Zoumana Dao, Program Officer, Koutiala Agriculture Sector, Mali.
Interviews:
Abdoulaye Koureicihi, National Coordinator of the Rice Producers’ platform, Mali.
Faliry Boly, President of the Rice Interprofession, Mali.
Zoumana Goita, Agronomist
Mr. Modibo Koita, President of SOCREM, the Cooperative Society of Parboiled Rice Traders, Mali.
This story was produced with a grant from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale ZusammenarbeitGmbH (GIZ), which implements the Green Innovation Centers program.
