Rice production, yield gaps, processing capacity, irrigation potential, and import dependency across ECOWAS.
Shows where production is concentrated and where gaps exist relative to consumption. Nigeria dominates regional production, but most countries remain net importers. Toggle between country-level, subnational (admin-1 region), and 10km gridded views.
Source: FAOSTAT QCL, HarvestStat Africa, MapSPAM 2020 | Data: 2024
West Africa averages ~2t/ha vs 4-6t/ha achievable. The yield gap is the core opportunity — closing it could double or triple regional production without expanding farmland.
Source: FAOSTAT QCL + AfricaRice/IRRI benchmarks | Data: 2024
Massive untapped irrigation potential — the single biggest lever for yields. Only a fraction of irrigable land is currently under irrigation.
Note: Data available for 2 of 15 ECOWAS countries
Source: World Bank WDI | Data: 2019
The mismatch between installed rice processing capacity and actual utilization is one of the most powerful stories in the data. Mills exist but run at 30–40% capacity because of insufficient paddy supply, quality inconsistency, and seasonal procurement challenges. This makes the case for why production investment must come alongside processing investment.
Total Mills
57
semi-industrial & industrial
Aggregate Capacity
315 t/h
630,000 tonnes/year potential
Avg. Utilization
30–40%
60–70% capacity sits idle
Countries with Mills
12 / 15
3 countries have zero industrial mills
Data we need governments to help us fill
This baseline uses Arouna et al. (2020) — the most comprehensive inventory available, but now 5+ years old. Actual capacity has grown, especially in Nigeria. Facility-level utilization data requires partnerships with AfricaRice, RIPAN, and in-country ministries. Current utilization estimates (30–40%) are regional averages.
Source: Arouna et al. (2020), Global Food Security — 57-mill inventory | Data: 2019
Makes the $3.5B+ annual import bill visceral — showing exactly which countries are most dependent on imported rice.
Data Coming Soon — UN Comtrade API integration pending