Burkina Faso/Rice production: “If we get support, we will produce rice that meets consumer demand,” says Adama Bantango

Tell us about your union and tell us what are the major difficulties faced by rice producers in this rice growing plain of Bhagalpore?

Adama Bantango: I am Adama Bantango and I have been leading this rice producers’ union since 2012, which brings together more than 4,000 producers, organized into 22 cooperatives, located in the Bagre Plains (about 45 kilometers from Tenkodogo in the Central East Region). Of this nearly 8,000 hectares of developed land, more than 3,000 hectares are devoted entirely to rice cultivation. We grow a variety of rice varieties, but the most popular are TS2, Orilux and Nerica. However, production faces challenges such as insufficient agricultural equipment, insufficient labor, high input costs, poor quality, and the dominance of imported rice in the market.

…You are talking about imported rice, can you meet the needs of consumers alone?

Why not? Bagrebol is not the only rice producing area in Burkina Faso. They are found almost everywhere. If we have a sincere support and build some more dams on top of the existing ones, we will certainly be able to meet the needs of consumers.

But will consumers criticize you because the quality of your local rice isn’t always great compared to other rice on the market?

It is true that due to lack of resources and experience, producers were not always able to produce in good conditions, which also affected the quality of the rice. But now, thanks to the training and experience that producers have received, they have effectively raised awareness and emphasized the quality of rice to meet the needs of consumers. It is also in this dynamic that we no longer produce for the sake of production. Before production, we first discuss with traders and consumers so that they can tell us the types of rice that are popular in the market. In addition to these aspects, we also listen to their criticisms in order to incorporate them into our works.

It’s also been criticized for being too expensive… What do you think about this?

(Laughs) Consumers need to understand that they are paying less for bad rice because it is not rice that is less than ten years old. And people in other places no longer need them, that is why we send them to Africa to sell them at a cheaper price. Otherwise, good rice that can last for a year costs at least 3,200 CFA francs per kilogram, and not everyone can buy it in Africa. And our rice is new, without any chemicals. They also have to understand that it is not our fault, everything is expensive, whether it is inputs, fertilizers, everything is expensive in the market. And if you sacrifice yourself to pay for everything, you have to sell it at a certain price, hoping to at least recover your expenses. All this shows that the fertilizer and machinery market justifies the high price of rice in the market. Because producers will not sell it at a lower price because they want to, so they have no choice. If you spend more money, you can’t sell less, otherwise you can’t reproduce anymore. But I think all this will change because the state has made a commitment that this year we will subsidize fertilizers and equipment, and I think this will also reduce the price of rice in the market. But they also need to know that local rice is better, whatever the price, because you know the origin, unlike cheap rice, whose true origin is often unknown. That is why I invite Burkinabé people to eat locally produced rice, because at least there we know what goes into our bodies, because it was produced by our parents, and the winner is Burkina Faso. Otherwise, eating imported rice, in addition to contracting diseases, makes others rich.

Some people also say that the local rice does not increase in volume after being cooked…

If the local rice doesn’t swell, it’s because it’s new rice and doesn’t require a lot of water to cook. The overswelling they buy there is due to the chemicals and the fact that it’s old rice. Although the local rice is produced every year…

Interview with Yvette Zongo