Rice is increasingly becoming a staple food across West Africa, driven by population growth, rapid urbanization and changing diets.
In Côte d’Ivoire, this trend is especially evident in major cities such as Abidjan, Bouaké, Daloa and Gagnoa, where rice is steadily replacing traditional staples including cassava, yam and taro.
According to Ecofin Agency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that rice consumption in Côte d’Ivoire is expanding by 3% to 4% per year.
Per capita consumption has climbed to 84 kilograms annually, up from about 58 kilograms two decades ago. Rice now makes up nearly 60% of the country’s cereal consumption, far ahead of maize, millet and sorghum.
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To keep pace with rising demand, Côte d’Ivoire has intensified efforts in recent years to increase domestic production.
According to USDA data, paddy rice output grew from around 1.8 million tonnes in 2015/2016 to nearly 2.3 million tonnes in 2024/2025. However, domestic supply still falls short, with annual white rice consumption now nearing 3 million tonnes.
This shortfall has led to a heavier dependence on imports, making Côte d’Ivoire Africa’s second-largest rice importer after Nigeria.
The country sources most of its rice from India, Pakistan, Vietnam and Thailand.
Customs figures show that the growing reliance on imports has also driven up costs. Rice import volumes increased from 1.14 million tonnes in 2015 to 1.62 million tonnes in 2024, while the total import bill more than doubled from 290.8 billion CFA francs to 609.6 billion CFA francs, according to the 2025 Statistical Yearbook of Ivorian Customs.
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Image Credit: Milling Middle East & Africa
