Digital solutions for efficient management of rice commercialisation in Senegal

Challenges

The implementation of this business model has experienced constraints resulting in little or no availability of production data. These difficulties have had major consequences in the management of FEPROBA, including slowness in collecting paddy, poor planning, and non-compliance with deadlines for delivering the product to the customers. This situation does not yet allow FEPROBA to implement a clear strategy for accessing the rice market.

On the other hand, FEPROBA and its members carry out mass production without considering the specifications of market demand in terms of variety and size of rice. Occasionally, the quality of the paddy or white rice production of the farmers does not meet the requirements of traders who want to align with market demand.

The challenges for FEPROBA are:

• To become proficient in the collective management of rice commercialisation.
• To better structure the federation’s offer to be able to negotiate better with customers.
• To improve the quality of farmers’ paddy and rice so that it meets the market requirements.

FEPROBA plans to create a digital solution to overcome its constraints and to promote the commercialisation/sale of the production of its members. On the other hand, it plans to have a guaranteed quality process for rice to comply with the market requirements.

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ALTERNATIVE PARAGRAPH:

Although the project resulted in the establishment of a commercial relationship between FEPROBA and SODEFITEX (Development and Textile Sector Company), it also has its constraints. The lack of availability of production data are followed by unsteady management. Also, FEPROBA’s members carry out mass production without considering the specifications of market demand in terms of variety and size of rice.

FEPROBA itself faces different challenges. Collective management of rice commercialisation is still an obstacle. Negotiation with customers doesn’t go as smoothly, either. Additionally, the farmers’ paddy and rice quality is too low for the market requirements.

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Expected Results

• FEPROBA will start using an interactive database on agricultural production and product offerings (paddy, white rice, seeds and parboiled rice). Because of that database, it will have a comparative advantage in local markets in terms of statistics on its offer.
• FEPROBA will establish formal business relationships with processors and traders targeted by the project.
• FEPROBA will improve the volume and quality of its white rice offer on the market, from 2,000 to 5,000 tonnes.
• The good practices acquired within the framework of this project are shared with peer organisations and stakeholders at national and regional level.

In practice, this will result in:

• 5,000 tonnes of rice being commercialised by FEPROBA.
• 90% of the rice offered on the market conforming to requirements.
• The production and commercialisation database being operational.
• 10 formal contracts being signed and respected between FEPROBA and the processors and traders targeted by the project.
• A financing document being prepared and published: the good practices gained within the framework of the project will be shared with peer organisations and stakeholders at national and regional level.

Figures

FEPROBA Federation of Farmers in the Anambé Bassin

FEPROBA brings together 5,449 physical persons belonging to four (04) Hydraulic Unions whose members are 264 Economic Interest Groups (GIE), a union of women parboilers and an Association of Breeders of the Anambé Basin.