Rice plays a crucial role in food security and political stability in Côte d’Ivoire. To achieve self-sufficiency and enhance food security, the government initiated a program to modernize rice production in central and north-central regions, including a 22-hectare irrigated rice perimeter at Nanan in Yamoussoukro. Despite these efforts, yields have been unsatisfactory due to poor governance and an outdated hydraulic system, threatening water resources, rice production, and socio-economic development.

Currently managed by the COPRORIZ cooperative, which oversees input marketing and financing, the deteriorated state of the infrastructure highlights the cooperative’s limited management capacity. This research project, developed as part of a public-private partnership, seeks to optimize irrigated rice production in Nanan by addressing these challenges. The goal is to improve farmers’ technical capacity and production means, ensuring food security and raising producers’ living standards.

Over 18 months, the project will analyze the hydraulic system, identify critical rehabilitation points, and collect soil and water samples for analysis. It aims to develop and test innovative farming techniques, establish an agricultural calendar, and create a decision-support tool. Producer training on irrigation practices and governance will also be prioritized to enhance labor, water, and fertilizer efficiency, promoting sustainable and responsible production.

• Rice production in the Nanan rice perimeter, Yamoussoukro-Côte d’Ivoire.