Your favorite chapati or mandazi could soon be made healthier—thanks to rice flour. Researchers are pushing for rice value addition to improve nutrition, promote food security, and reduce Africa’s rice import bill.
At the recent CGIAR Science Week in Nairobi, Dr. Prem Bindraban, AfricaRice’s Deputy Director General, emphasized the continent’s growing nutrition crisis. He highlighted high rates of stunting in children and anaemia in women, alongside rising obesity and diabetes.
AfricaRice is developing nutrient-rich rice varieties and promoting parboiling, a process that retains essential vitamins and minerals like iron, zinc, and folate while reducing the glycemic index. The aim is to turn rice into a functional food to tackle both undernutrition and metabolic diseases.
Africa currently imports over $6 billion worth of rice annually. With proper investment, this could be offset by boosting local production by 30 million tonnes. However, challenges like low yields, high costs, and climate change hinder progress.
In Kenya, local production meets only a fraction of the demand, with around 80% of rice being imported. Dr. Bindraban noted that inland valley farming systems, which support biodiversity and soil fertility, could be a key solution.
AfricaRice also promotes the use of rice flour for making everyday foods like chapati and mandazi. Rice flour can be fortified and even combined with moringa, making it ideal for school feeding programs. Even by-products like rice husks can be turned into eco-friendly charcoal.
Dr. Bindraban urged Africans to support local rice. “It’s healthier, supports our farmers, and builds a self-reliant future,” he said.
