Rice parboiling in Ghana: a socio-economic survey

Abstract

The main objective of this study is to analyse the socio-economic aspects of the rice parboiling process as part of a larger project funded by the DFID's Crop Post Harvest Programme aimed at improving the efficiency of rice parboiling. Rice parboiling is a major economic activity undertaken in northern Ghana entirely by rural women with the number of parboilers having risen in recent years. On the assumption that rice production data are reasonably accurate (output was estimated at 281,111 tonnes in 1998) then in excess 75,000 women and possibly as many as 120,000 women are estimated to be involved in parboiling - thus making a significant contribution to the sustainability of women's livelihoods in northern Ghana. However, the parboiled rice produced is of variable quality, thus contributing to its difficulties in competing with imported rice, which now accounts for in excess of 60% of domestic consumption. The study is divided into six sections, the first three provide background information on the origins of the study and on various aspects of rice production in Ghana. This includes a brief review of the research methodology used - namely Participatory Rural Appraisal - and the limitations of these techniques and the data collected; alongside a short outline of the techniques and processes used in rice parboiling. The fourth and fifth sections contain detailed socio-economic analysis based on interviews and the data collected