Assessment of rice self-sufficiency in 2025 in eight African countries

Authors

P. A.J. van Oort, Wageningen UniversityFollow
K. Saito, Africa Rice Center, Cotonou, Benin
E. Amovin-Assagba, Africa Rice Center, Cotonou, Benin
Lenny G.J. van Bussel, Wageningen University, The NetherlandsFollow
Justin van Wart, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Hugo de Groot, Wageningen University, The NetherlandsFollow
Martin K. van Ittersum, Wageningen University, The NetherlandsFollow
Kenneth Cassman, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
M. C.S. Wopereis, Africa Rice Center, Cotonou, BeninFollow

Date of this Version

2015

Citation

Published in Global Food Security (2015); doi:10.1016/j.gfs.2015.01.002

Comments

Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. Used by permission.

Abstract

Most African countries are far from self-sufficient in meeting their rice consumption; in eight countries the production: consumption ratio, ranged from 0.16 to 1.18 in 2012. We show that for the year 2025, with population growth, diet change and yield increase on existing land (intensification), countries cannot become fully self-sufficient in rice. This implies that for the future, a mixture of area expansion and imports will be needed on top of yield gap closure. Further research is needed for identification of most suitable new land for rice area expansion and areas that should be protected.