Nyankpala: The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) and the AfricaRice Centre, has introduced an improved rice parboiling technology to enhance efficiency, product quality, and occupational safety for women rice processors in the Northern Region.
According to Ghana News Agency, the technology, known as the Mini GEM Parboiler, is being promoted under the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation Phase II (TAAT II) project, funded by the African Development Bank. This initiative is part of broader efforts to strengthen the rice value chain, reduce post-harvest losses, and improve the competitiveness of locally produced rice in Ghana.
Under the second phase of the TAAT II project, two units of the Mini GEM Parboiler have been installed in the Northern Region, one at CSIR-SARI in Nyankpala and the other at Kumbungu. The Mini GEM Parboiling Technology installed at Kumbungu was procured by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), while the unit at CSIR-SARI in Nyankpala was procured under the TAAT II project. The installation was preceded by intensive training and capacity-building workshops organized by CSIR-SARI, the Department of Agriculture (MoFA), and the AfricaRice Centre to equip women processors with skills to effectively use the system.
Dr. Joseph Maina Ndungu'u, Technology Transfer Officer at the AfricaRice Centre, explained during the installation and training workshop that the innovation was developed to improve efficiency while addressing challenges faced by women who dominate rice parboiling activities. He highlighted that the Mini GEM Parboiler, a post-harvest technology, enables processors to parboil rice more efficiently compared to traditional methods widely used in rural communities.
Dr. Ndungu'u emphasized the importance of the technology's dissemination across African countries under the TAAT project, which aims to accelerate agricultural transformation through proven innovations. In Ghana, CSIR-SARI serves as the key research partner responsible for promoting and adapting the technology. He urged policymakers to support the widespread adoption of the innovation to enable more processors to benefit.
Alhaji Dauda Abdul-Salam, Northern Regional Crop Officer at the Department of Agriculture, noted that the training targeted leaders of women rice parboiling groups and key actors within the rice value chain. The improved parboiler can process about 400 kilograms of rice at once - equivalent to approximately five bags, significantly higher than the traditional method, where a single bag may be processed in multiple batches. He added that the system reduces exposure to smoke and excessive heat, as it uses rice husks as fuel instead of firewood.
Mr. Alex Yeboah, Rice Breeder at CSIR-SARI and Focal Person for the TAAT II project in Ghana, explained that the intervention focused on improving post-harvest processing within the rice value chain. Parboiling is a critical stage in rice processing as it reduces grain breakage during milling and improves the nutritional quality of rice. He added that the improved technology had been tested across several countries in West and Sub-Saharan Africa, proving effective in improving efficiency, product quality, and working conditions for processors.
Madam Paulina Abanbire, a beneficiary, expressed optimism that the improved technology would strengthen Ghana's rice industry by enhancing the quality and competitiveness of locally produced rice while increasing incomes for women processors.