This school is different
For several years , Anti sua and Mialébouni have been members of the parboiled rice ABC of Gogounou ( Alibori ) and of Lalo ( Couffo ), developing their processing activity with whatever means they could find . Since 2015 , I have been working with the women parboilers as a trainer-mentor in the 2SCALE programme . I was moved when I saw how motivated these women were to learn together – and I was also flabbergasted by how quickly their know-how has led to such outstanding progress . As stated by Yovo Micheline , the president of Mialébouni : “ The 2SCALE coaching sessions strengthened the capacity of the women by throwing a light on knowledge previously hidden to us , on important economic aspects of our business . We have always worked with projects in various fields of the agricultural sector – but your ‘ school ’ is different from the others !” As if to echo these feelings , Kpadonou Toussaint , programme manager of ESOP ( a servicing enterprise for farmers ’ organisations , including a milling and marketing unit ) confirmed : “ The coaching in agribusiness capacities has been an important factor in increasing the ABC ’ s competitiveness ”. The local names of their associations tell us that the women parboilers took great care of the local parboiled rice in order to support themselves .
New skills , improved quality , new markets
If we compare the parboiled rice produced by Anti sua and Mialébouni with the local rice sold five years ago , the difference is like night and day . The groups have acquired skills in new parboiling techniques , brand development , negotiation with the other actors and traders , contracting stimulated by the group dynamics , participatory management and collective action , and prospection of the markets . These improved technical and soft skills have clearly contributed to creating a new and better type of product . The women of Anti sua and Mialébouni have managed to change how consumers in both rural and urban areas choose rice , by offering a good-quality local rice brand called yovo . If the retailers are to be believed , the consumers have become crazy about the parboiled rice of the two associations . Anti sua and Mialébouni have succeeded so well in developing yovo that it is now well-known in both rural and urban areas , as a new , high-quality parboiled brand of rice . Both associations have also developed business relationships with farmers ’ organisations through the ABCs they belong to , to obtain quality paddy – their raw material . On top of that , Anti sua has consolidated its business relations through economically viable contracts with Nigerian traders of parboiled rice and has thereby extended its marketing channels . Mialébouni , on the other hand , took another venue to extend marketing options and thereby strengthen its status as “ economic operator ”. It negotiated a fair price for a part of its parboiled rice with ESOP who ensures processing and marketing and sells under its own brand , Délice . These arrangements are consistent with the principle of “ collective business ” in the ABCs . In both cases , the women changed their status from “ assisting ” actors in the value chains , to become more “ professional ” actors . In other words , the women parboilers who were previously employed as “ workers ” for some specific operations have now become full-fledged entrepreneurs . In this way , the local parboiled rice value chain has given new hope to the women of Anti sua and Mialébouni . And while Anti sua sells its rice now at 450 CFA francs instead of 375 and Mialébouni at 500 CFA francs instead of 400 , this rise in price has not hindered the competitiveness of their product . On the contrary , their sales increased through their participation in agricultural fairs and their contacts with retailers . Mialébouni for instance sold about 19 tonnes of parboiled rice in 2016 , compared to only 8 tonnes in 2015 . In this way , Yovo Micheline and her peers have increased their income and strengthened their financial and economic power . Better organisation and more professional practices have opened doors for women rice parboilers who were for too long economically marginalised . While they still have a way to go to become financially independent , if they can continue on this new super highway of progress , they should get far .
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